


Tempest

by TheAnimeNerd17



Category: Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Absent Parents, Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Bending (Avatar), Bloodbending (Avatar), Divorce, Drugs, Elemental Magic, Explicit Language, F/M, Harry Potter References, Heartbreak, Kidnapping, Kindness, Medical Examination, Medicine, Memory Loss, Mutant Powers, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Scars, Self-Discovery, Slow Burn, Strength, Swearing, Threats, Torture, clint is Katniss, comic tribute
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-22
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-05-10 05:14:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 35,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14730635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAnimeNerd17/pseuds/TheAnimeNerd17
Summary: Beloved pharmacist Dr. Gemma Walker never thought her life could get better.  A boyfriend, a practice already on the path to success, and patients all leading happier lives due to her breakthrough medicine; what more could she ask for?  Unfortunately, all good things must end.  Heartbreak leads Gemma to distract herself with work, blinding herself to the real threat.  Gemma finds herself kidnapped and experimented on, but left with abilities she never had before.  A rescue mission grants her freedom, but it doesn’t last when she’s caught by Earth’s mightiest heroes, the Avengers.  Can they help her come to terms with her new life and abilities?  Will she find new love along the way?  Will she avenge herself and all the others who were kidnapped?  Find out in “Tempest.”





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: WILL CONTAIN AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR SPOILERS! I will mark the chapters with spoilers so no one gets anything spoiled if they haven’t watched it (psst, go watch it!). Also, this fic will include my own continuations before and after Infinity War as well (this isn’t super movies-accurate for the purpose of plot). None of it is real, this is just me using creative license to alter events (AKA I’m just goofing around with my favorite characters of all time). Without further ado, I hope you enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No spoilers in this chapter, just getting the story started! This story won't be totally accurate in comparison to the Avengers movies, just so you all know. Any mistakes are my own, just let me know in the comments. Please feel free to leave comments and kudos! They make my day! Without further procrastination, please enjoy!

“What had it all come to? This world, this life, what was the purpose?”

Gemma put down her novel, bookmarking her spot, when the bell on the door tinkled, indicating a customer. “Hello, how may I help you? Oh, Mrs. Holt! Are you in to fill your scripts?” Gemma asked, swiping a red strand of hair behind her ear. She grinned at the familiar old woman entering her store.

Mrs. Holt smiled as she hobbled inside, cane thumping the floor with every other step. She nodded. “Yes, dear, my blood thinners again. Also, I was wondering if you had anything for itchiness. My husband got into that poison again, trying to rip out that damn thorn bush popping out in the school yard. I’ve told him a million times to leave it alone, but the children at that school are smarter than he is. They stay away from the poison ivy,” the older woman rambled.

Gemma laughed softly and wrote a note to herself. “Of course, Mrs. Holt. I’ll whip him something up quickly. In the meantime, why don’t you go run any errands while I do that and check on your blood thinners?” She suggested. “I’ll be done within a half-hour at the soonest.”

“Perfect, dear. Thank you so much.” The woman grinned brightly and left the pharmacy, leaving Gemma to her work. Gemma went back right away and searched the shelves.

“Holt… Holt… Ah, here it is!” She plucked the bag from the shelf and set it next to her work station. She plucked the ingredients she needed for her natural itch-relief and began doing what she does best. Humming as she worked, Gemma sprinkled in the ingredients, knowing the measurements by sight. She had done this so many times, it was rote memory at this point. Zinc oxide, calcium hydroxide, iron oxide, and more, all combining to make her own calamine lotion to help the poison ivy itch. “I miss working in a lab sometimes…” Gemma muttered to herself as she added the final touch, a few drops of Mrs. Holt’s favorite essential oil. When she finished with the calamine lotion, Gemma typed up a label with ingredients and instructions for use. She slapped it to the bottle and bagged it just as Mrs. Holt returned.

Gemma glided to the counter and handed Mrs. Holt the two bags, one with the blood thinners and the other with the lotion. “Here you go. That’ll just be $10 for the lotion today. Your insurance covered your refill.”

“But Gemma, dear! You gave me the absolute biggest bottle you have! Please, let me give you more than $10 for your trouble!”

Gemma shook her head. “No can do, Mrs. Holt, it was no trouble at all. Just tell your husband to be more careful next time he battles with that thorn bush.” She winked a sky blue eye.

Mrs. Holt chuckled and shook her head. “You, my dear, are a saint. You’re too good for this world. Thank you so much! Have a wonderful day!” She paid the $10 and hobbled out.

Gemma beamed and said goodbye to the kind old woman. She was a regular at Gemma’s practice ever since it first opened, often struggling with insurance to receive the medicine she needed. Unable to stand seeing the older woman suffer, Gemma would often mix the prescriptions herself to make it all more affordable for her customers. She had the skill to; before she had worked for two years in a research lab learning tons about medications and the processes to make them. Because of the breaks she often gave her patients, she had the reputation as “the Saint Dr. Walker,” leading to the growing success of her business. Another day, another person about to lead an improved life.

As the day came to a close, Gemma put everything away and wiped everything down. She yawned softly, ready to get cleaned up and go to bed. She stretched, spine popping. “Oh, that was what I needed!” She rested her hand on her lower back. She fiddled with the golden locket around her neck for a minute before she peeked outside. The sun painted the sky a rose gold hue. “Beautiful,” she sighed.

Gemma shuffled around the store to finish closing, knowing she couldn’t fool around for too long if she wanted time to make dinner. She left the store and turned to the door to lock it up. She turned the key to assure everything was secure and safe for overnight. Suddenly, someone squeezed her sides with a “Boo!”, and Gemma jumped with a squeal. The voice behind her laughed and wrapped his arms around her.

“Damn you, Ryan, you asshole!” Gemma swatted the man behind her on the head. He, Ryan, laughed again and hugged her tighter. Shaking her head, Gemma finished locking her store. “What is it, you big baby?”

“I just wanted to walk you home. Can’t have you going off by yourself where the other douchebags could pick you up and steal you from me,” Ryan said.

Gemma rolled her eyes. “Or you could trust me more to care for myself.”

“Hardly. You need me.”

Gemma blinked, but she said nothing more as she laced her fingers in his and walked towards her small apartment. She gazed at Ryan for a second and thought to herself. She loved him, there was no denying that, but she couldn’t place… well, why she did exactly. Sure, he was sweet and caring when they had met, but there was something not quite right about him at times, like with just now. The way he acted like if she had a moment alone or if she were around other people, she would stray from him. That something was outweighed however, by the happiness fluttering in Gemma’s heart at the moment. Ryan always managed to make her smile, even when she didn’t want to. She kissed Ryan goodbye when they reached her home.

Once inside, Gemma plopped on her couch and giggled. She tossed the newspaper from her doorstep on her coffee table. She glanced at it when she saw the front page. It said something about the Avengers once again stopping another evildoer from doing evil, blah blah, teaming up with some other heroes, blah blah. Gemma groaned and flopped back; she couldn’t care less. The Stark Tower, the homebase of all those heroes and such, has been a regular sight in Gemma’s life. She had first really noticed it when the Chitauri invaded, a terrifying day that had been. Now, it was a regular in Gemma’s life every time she walked to work. She glanced at the paper and sighed. Those people may be heroes, but they hadn’t really done much to help individual problems. Heroes of the Earth couldn’t devote time to meager things like that. Gemma yawned, legs tucked up onto the couch as she watched the sunset. Sleepiness weighed down on Gemma’s consciousness, and she was out on her next blink.

Gemma jolted awake, wiping the drool from the corner of her mouth. No sunlight whatsoever filled the windows. “Shit!” Gemma checked her phone and cussed again. She had slept through the evening, including dinner. She groaned when her stomach growled at her. Shower first, she told herself. She trudged to the bathroom and showered, feeling cozy when she dressed in her pajamas, an oversized tie-dye t-shirt that rested just at the tops of her thighs. After grabbing a breakfast bar for dinner, a sad choice over the leftover chicken alfredo pasta she had WANTED to eat, Gemma waltzed to her bedroom and collapsed. She sent a quick good night text to Ryan and fell right asleep.

When Gemma slept through her alarm the next morning, a common occurrence in her life, she knew it was going to be a rough day. She scrambled to pull on her slacks and blouse, and she skipped her makeup in her rush. She decided to throw her wavy red hair up into a messy bun. Easy, no effort, Gemma’s favorite. She didn’t even have time to scroll through Facebook that morning like she usually did, missing the phone call from Ryan that morning.

Gemma muttered to herself as she walked, half-jogged, to work. “I need a better alarm clock… one that actually wakes me up… maybe I need a dog, it can jump on me in the morning. But that would scare the shit out of me…” She opened her store only a minute later than usual, rushing behind the counter. She sighed in relief, glad she had her own store. 

The day went by as normal, if not a bit busier than usual. Gemma grinned as an old friend stopped by to visit. “George! What are you doing here? You don’t have any medications!” She moved around the counter to give him a hug.

“Gemma! The store looks great! God, I haven’t seen you since you opened this place!” George chuckled. “No, not for me. I’m picking up my son’s new epipens. We just switched to your pharmacy because we know you’re so much better.” He winked.

Gemma snorted. “Hell yeah I am. Let me guess, the last pharmacist fucked up filing the insurance claim?”

“Yep!”

“Knew it. What’s your boy’s name again?” Gemma went back to the shelves to find George’s child’s prescription.

“Kyle.”

“Ah, yes, I thought that name sounded familiar! How’s Jackie?” Gemma asked as she reached for the boxes of epipens.

“She’s good! Pregnant again with our second,” George said.

“Aww, congratulations! That’s awesome! Damn, George, you just keep popping them out, keep it in your pants!” Gemma teased as she bagged the medication and rang it up with the insurance.

“Hey!”

“George, we are only twenty-eight! And I’m not even married yet!”

“Gemma, you only got out of school about two years ago! I’ve been out six, and I was dating Jackie in college! I’ve had time to get my life started,” George chuckled.

“True. And I’d probably still be in school if it hadn’t been for you getting me through that Spanish class! That’ll be $57.33 today for the epipens. Good insurance policy.” Gemma winked cheekily.

George scoffed. “You were fine in Spanish, you were desperate for friends.”

Gemma snorted in laughter, handing him his bags after he paid. The two friends laughed some more and exchanged numbers to schedule a day to catch up over lunch.

“It’ll be great! Here’s your son’s medication. Tell Jackie I said hi!” Gemma waved as George left.

Gemma couldn’t help but grin. George had been her closest friend in college besides his wife, Jackie. In fact, Gemma had been the one to set the two up on a date, and she took pride that their relationship was going so well. Someone shoved Gemma from her thoughts, though, when they threw open her door with a crash. She looked up with furrowed brows. Her lip curled in recognition and further confusion.

“Ryan? What the hell? What’s wrong?” Gemma questioned as he stormed into her store. A shudder went down her spine. He looked absolutely furious, and nothing good ever happened when he was pissed like this.

“I knew you were cheating on me. You didn’t answer my call this morning, you didn’t text me all day, and now I find you flirting and playing coy with some other man. You fucking whore!” Ryan raged, pushing over a rack of magazines.

Gemma’s eyes flew wide. “Ryan! Oh my God, you’re taking this all wrong! I’m not-”

“Bullshit! You are such a slut! How could you do that? I can’t date a slut! Fucking kill yourself, Gemma! We are done!” Ryan kicked over the assorted candies and left.

Gemma blinked and stared at where he left. “What? What just happened?” She asked herself. Her eyes began to water, tears spilling down her cheeks. “He just… dumped me? What… why?” She sniffled with a trembling breath. “I didn’t do anything… it was all a big misunderstanding!” She choked and rubbed her eyes and nose. She fiddled with the locket around her neck, clicking it open and closed. It was all too much of a shock. Never before had Ryan yelled at her like that. As she slumped to the ground, Gemma’s lower lip trembled. Another sob shook her body.

Gemma closed the store early that day, and she walked robotically home. The next few weeks continued much in the same. Gemma went through her routine without thought. No thinking, only working. She didn’t want one moment of peace to think about why Ryan had done what he had. Instead, she worked on developing new medications for various ailments her customers brought to her attention. She filled prescriptions as ordered, and she used any spare time to experiment. Gemma’s motto: if you can’t help yourself, help others instead. Any progress she made, she logged in her notebook to work on further research opportunities.

Gemma groaned as she put away the ingredients from her earlier study experiments. It had been over 24 hours since she had last slept, and her energizing black tea was gone. “Too bad I hate coffee…” she sighed, sitting back in her chair. Everything ached, even parts of her she never knew could hurt this badly. It was already pitch black outside, and she wanted nothing more than to stand in the shower and think. Gemma spun herself around a few times in her chair before she stood. She shucked off her lab coat and hung it up.

Once Gemma locked up, she started on her way home. The street was quiet besides the electric zapping of the streetlights, one of which flickered.

“Creepy,” Gemma muttered as she glanced at it. She hugged her purse closer to her body. Her footsteps echoed in the eerily silent night. “Really creepy…”

“Creepy indeed,” someone else said as they grabbed Gemma from behind.

Gemma jumped with a shriek, flinching away from the person. They held her tightly and stabbed a needle into her neck. Gemma whimpered as the drug entered her body, immediately taking effect.

“No… no…” she slurred as everything began to blur. She clawed at her attacker. Her attacker released her, and she stumbled in a weak escape attempt. She crashed to the ground, the world spinning around her. “No… this can’t be happening…” Gemma muttered as everything faded to black.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, I got another chapter done within the week! I hope I can keep up a weekly or biweekly pace, but I can tell you guys now that I will do all I can to take no more than a month to update. That's my ultimate goal... hopefully it works! Here's the next chapter, no spoilers or anything. Also, beware, there are some mentions of torture, death, and there's also foul language Steve Rogers wouldn't approve of. I don't go into detail with the torture, but it's there just as a warning. Anyway, I hope you all like this new chapter! Enjoy!

Gemma hissed as consciousness slowly filtered back to her. Pale light filled the room she was in. Gemma gasped as she sat up. The room was filled with cages, and she was inside one like an animal in a zoo. Her purse was gone, as were her old clothes. Instead, she wore some sort of plain orange gown, much resembling a hospital gown combined with prison attire, and her hair hung loose in her face. Another woman laid in the cage beside her, more people in the cages beyond her. Gemma’s cage was the last in the sequence, against the wall opposing the singular iron door.

Gemma stood on shaky legs to get her bearings. She gasped when her head hit the top of the cage. She hunched her five foot six frame and called out. “Hello?! What’s going on?”

“Newbie! Hey, you! Shut it, or it’ll be worse. It’s always worse for the talkers.” The woman in the cell next to Gemma popped her greasy head up. “Keep your head down, and keep quiet!”

“What’s going on? I don’t understand… I was walking home and-”

“Listen, girl, none of us care about anything here. Kindly avoid acting like a fucking dumbass! Sit down and shut up!” The woman hissed. She flinched and buried her head back down when the door on the other side of the room swung open with a rusty squeak.

Gemma’s breath caught in her throat as she watched a group of men, soldiers dressed in black and armed to the teeth, file into the room and head straight for her cell.

“So this is the new one, huh? I see why the boss wanted her. She’s hot. Thin, but still curvy. Long, pretty hair,” one said.

“She’s coming with us. She needs… properly introduced to this place,” another, the obvious leader of the group, said as he stepped forward, opening her cell door.

“Wha-what?!” Gemma paled and backed away, squealing when two of the men grabbed her ankles and yanked her out. “No no no!”

Gemma twisted like a snake as they dragged her out to another room. They strapped her to a chair and held her jaw still. Tears spilled down her cheeks as they chopped off her hair. The red locks drifted to the floor like feathers as they hacked it to fringes. The men only laughed and dragged her limp body to the next room. Gemma inhaled and started to fight again, more ferociously this time.

“You motherfuckers! You ASSHOLES!” She screamed, lashing out with all her strength.

“Feisty too. She’ll make an excellent candidate, an excellent candidate indeed.” The leader grinned and slammed his gun into Gemma’s skull. Gemma slumped and groaned, disoriented but not unconscious.

She howled in agony, life passing in odd, blurry fragments. They added drugs to her haze to keep her always in a state of confusion. It may have been hours, days, years even, but Gemma couldn’t tell the difference. All she knew was pain, more than she had ever known. Pain shooting from her skull to her toes to make her wish she could crawl out of her own skin. Electric currents running through her body and burning her eyes. Scalpels scoring her skin, the knuckles of her captors bruising her cheeks. Each time they tossed her back in her cell as though she were nothing more than discarded garbage. They hardly ever fed her. The concrete scraped her bony knees. Her nails were chewed, blunt and dirtied.

Gemma was so sick of the grime coating her skin, stuck to her like a film of sweat and dust. Her hair, now grown to her shoulders, hung in greasy, matted clumps. She smelled. Gemma wrinkled her nose. God, did she smell. Her eyes cracked open for the first time, conscious at last.

“Fuck… my head…” She brought her hand up to her forehead. She gasped when she caught sight of her arm. A long, stitched incision rang up the length of her inner arm, an angry red. Gemma let out a breath and found a matching one on her other arm. Shifting around, she cried out when she found ones on her legs that ran the length of her shins. She stood and felt her body for any other signs of surgery. Her back and front both seared like a hot knife when touched. There was a splitting pain in her head as she found the largest lump of stitching on the nape of her neck.

“Oh my God, what have they done to me?” She sobbed, knowing the wounds would scar big and ugly. Her skin would bear permanent markings of what happened to her here. Her hands began to shake as she gripped her cage and pulled. “Let me out! Let me out of here!”

“Girl! Shut up or it will be worse!” The woman in the next cell over yelled.

“You shut up! You, huddling on the floor like trash! You’re not even trying to fight and be free!” Gemma snapped back, whipping her head to glare at the woman.

The woman stood up and faced off with Gemma. “No, perhaps not. But I can guarantee I will survive longer than you, perhaps long enough to actually BE free. You running your mouth is just going to get you killed.”

Gemma shook her head like a savage beast. “I can’t accept that. No, I can’t. There has to be a way, there HAS to. Somehow, someway. Everything in life is a fight, and I would rather die fighting than live without my dignity and humanity, without what makes me ME!” She punched the cage and stomped her foot, crying out when the concrete in front of her jumped up in response. The concrete sunk down, leaving only a crack as a sign anything had happened at all.

The woman smirked. “I see you’ve discovered what they’ve done to you. Congratulations, you’ve found how they’ve made you a freak like the rest of us.” She pulled back her stringy grey hair to reveal pulsating gills on her neck. “They’ve changed all of us in some way, but yours is new to me. Keep it quiet or they’ll really start making you wish you had died already,” she advised, returning to her spot on the ground.

Gemma furrowed her brows and stared at her hands. Just what had happened to her? She flicked her wrist, flames bursting from her palms. 

“Jesus Christ…” She blew out the flames, a breeze coming out instead. Her eyes widened. “What the fuck…”

The woman snickered. “Learn your ability quickly. Quickly, but discreetly. Try not to let them find out, but if they do, minimize what they know no matter how much it hurts. The more they underestimate you, the better. If you’re powerful, it’s best they think you’re not.”

Gemma nodded, grateful for the advice. “Thank you. Thank you so much. And thank you for, you know, not being an asshole about it that time.” She arched an eyebrow with a faint grin. The other woman actually let out a laugh but did not reply otherwise. Gemma looked back down at her hands, skin dry and cracked, nails destroyed. She chewed her lip. She reached for her neck absently, mourning the loss of her beloved locket.

Bracing herself, Gemma closed her eyes and reached deep inside herself. Not all felt quite right. There was a jumble of something in her center. Not her physical center, but something more spiritual, her metaphysical core. Gemma exhaled as she reached out towards the ball of energy in her gut with her mind, connecting herself to this new part of her. 

Heat and chills flashed across her skin. The sensation threatened to overwhelm her, so Gemma pressed her toes against the concrete. She would not be defeated by this energy. Suddenly, everything clicked into place with a blinding pang searing through Gemma’s skull. 

She yowled as the world around her tumbled in circles. The ground under her feet quaked, and flames licked the air surrounding her. Water pooled at her feet as a gust swirled through the room. Gemma fell on her back, body convulsed in a fit, and her eyes rolled back in her head. At last, a wave of energy seemed to burst out of her chest, the rest of her body settling.

Gemma jerked up with a violent heave of air, chest clutched in a hand. Her whole being shuddered. Inside her lied a monstrous amount of power, and Gemma had no clue what to do with it. One push too far, and Gemma feared she would snap. What would happen after she snapped? The unknown terrified her. She wondered just how dangerous her power was, but she shook her head. First, she had to focus on learning all she could about this power to escape her current hellhole.

In the coming days, Gemma focused all her free time into discovering what her new power entailed. One day, she was being taken in for the usual morning torture, electrocution. She was used to the routine at this point. Electrocution, break, waterboarding, beatings, another break, and so on. As the electricity coursed through her and the chair she was latched to, a bolt shot to the ceiling when she gulped for breath. Gemma began experimenting the moment she was returned to her cage. She grinned as blue electric currents jumped between her wiggling fingers.

“Not just pure elements then… all nature extending from the pure elements perhaps?” She inquired. “Let’s see… electricity should be an extension of fire. That means I should be able to do ice as an extension of water as well.”

Gemma laid on her stomach in her cell and concentrated to create a puddle of water under her fingertips. She chewed her lip, extending her energy to draw water from the ground under the building. Trial and error had taught her that creating her own water was too hard on her body; water in general was the hardest for her to manipulate. The water had to come from other places like underground aquifers to conserve energy. Gemma hummed and noted another experiment to herself. It would be best to figure out what sources of water she was capable of accessing with the least strain on herself.

“Okay… now cold thoughts I guess…” mumbled Gemma. 

She closed her eyes and pictured winter scenes, ice hanging from tree limbs and frost dusting the hoods of cars. Snowflakes kissed her nose, and the cold air ruffled her hair. Christmas and New Years celebrations inside in the warmth as blizzards raged outside. A reminiscent smile bloomed on Gemma’s face as she remembered all the family gatherings of her childhood, long before her parents’ divorce had ripped her family apart and left her fending for herself to flee the turmoil.

Desiring escape from her new trail of thought, Gemma peeked her eyes open. Under her fingers, the puddle sat as a frozen disk. Gemma internally cheered and lifted the disk, coolness seeping into her fingers.

“This is awesome,” she said. She concentrated harder and managed to shatter the disk with her mind and make the shards float in the air. She melted the pieces into droplets. Using her hands as guides, she moved the droplets back and forth in front of her. With a toss of the wrist, she flung the water into the air and cooled it enough to let it snow down around her. Gemma giggled and shook herself off like a dog to dry herself.

“That was so cool.” Gemma beamed, back straight and chin up. That was the most controllable experiment with her powers yet.

“Very cool. You’re coming with us,” someone spoke behind her.

Gemma whipped around. One of the soldier stood at the door to her cage with a terrible grin. All the blood drained from Gemma’s face, and her mouth dried up. Lifting a black tube to their lips, the soldier smirked wider at her and blew into the tube.

“Ah!” Gemma ripped the dart from her thigh and scrambled back. “Stay away!” She raised her hand to blast the man with fire, but she remembered the grey-haired woman’s words. Don’t let them know the extent of your power. Gemma dropped her hand as her thoughts began to swim. When would this end? Was her purpose in life to be tortured like this until she died, until she gave up? Gemma prayed not. Before long, her eyes fell shut.

The next time Gemma regained full consciousness, her hair was back to its original length, and the stitches in her arms and legs had long been removed, leaving huge scars on her fair skin. A fly buzzed around her head, and something smelled foul.

Gemma groaned as she sat up, and she puked when the scent hit her like a truck. Rotting, putrid skin permeated the air and hung over Gemma’s cell. Further inspection revealed the truth. The grey-haired woman laid in a fetal position, nothing more than a shrivelled corpse. Other prisoners, save three or so, were in various stages of decay. Gemma rolled over to hurl again.

“Oh God… I can’t… I can’t do this anymore,” she croaked, curling into her own ball of vomit, sweat, and stink. “I’m going to die here.”

Fat tears rolled down her cheeks to clear the grime in their path. Gemma clutched her stomach as it roared and begged for food and water. Lying down, Gemma cried silently for help that she knew wouldn’t come. She was alone, just as she had always been.

“You know what, fuck it,” Gemma said after a while. “Fuck it all.”

She bided her time for the next day or so she was left in her cell. She ignored her urge to gag from the worsening smell of the room. Escape was top priority. Next chance she got, she was obliterating all that stood in her path to freedom. No one could stop her but Death itself. Freedom or death.

Gemma jumped when the door across the room slammed open with a clank. A single male soldier ran in, pinching his nose. The sound of a fight echoed in distant rooms. The soldier held up his gun and opened cage doors, shooting the remaining prisoners inside each one. Gemma’s brilliant blue eyes widened. This was her chance. Now or never. 

Lifting herself to her feet, she waited for the soldier to open her cage. Once he did, he poised his gun at her head. Gemma smirked and tapped into that raging energy inside her. He never even saw it coming until his face was sheathed in flames.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, no Avengers or Doctor Strange yet, but I promise they are all coming in the next chapter! Just hang on! Hope you all liked this, please feel free to leave comments and kudos! Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did it! Another chapter within the week mark! No Infinity War spoilers, just inaccuracies with the movies (I know, I'm sorry, but it has to happen for my plot, you'll see!). Also, there are some references to the show Avatar: The Last Airbender. Great show, if you ever get the chance to watch it (don't watch the movie based on it, it was awful). Hopefully the Avengers aren't too OOC. Let me know in the comments where I can improve them. Without further ado, here you go with Chapter 3! Enjoy!

Gemma’s feet slapped the concrete as she sprinted down the long, dimly-lit halls in search of an exit. The fluorescent lights flickered on the concrete walls. Her breath came out in ragged heaves, lungs unused to this sort of physical activity with her weakened, famished body. Only her desire for freedom kept her moving.

“Go, Gemma Walker, go! Fuck this fucking place! Go!” Gemma shouted at herself. She picked up the pace as much as she was able, skidding to a stop to turn a corner. Pointing her middle and index finger, Gemma readied herself to fight her way out.

Two soldiers came running from another corridor. Teeth gritted, Gemma sent lightning sparking from her pointed fingers into the soldiers. She incapacitated them easily and ran towards the commotion down that hall. There had to be an exit in that direction for all the noise; she just knew it. She followed the noises until she ran into a huge atrium full of her captor soldiers, some alive but most dead. The remaining soldiers were battling someone or something, but Gemma didn’t take time to look. Sudden rage, boiling hot like the fire in her arsenal, flooded her veins. These bastards had kept her locked up for months, had tortured her for months, as told by the length of Gemma’s hair and the healed scars on her skin.

Clenching her fist, Gemma bellowed as she crouched, pounding her fist into the ground. She let all of her anger, every ounce of it, pour into her movements. Cracks splintered the concrete floor, and the whole building shook. Gemma didn’t even realize she was still screaming until the broken sound registered in her ears. Portions of the wall fell down to reveal hints of grass and foliage.

On autopilot, Gemma dashed towards the green outside. The concrete caved under her feet to propel her forward with each step. Someone shouted after her, but she didn’t stop to listen. Freedom sang to her and tempted her to run faster than she ever had in her life. When she hopped out of the concrete building, the grass between Gemma’s toes nearly brought tears to her eyes. So close, she was so close, she could taste it. Gemma ran and ran, and she kept running even when her legs felt like they would to fall off.

“Stop! Wait!” Someone yelled behind her.

Gemma’s heart stopped and caught in her throat. Someone was coming after her, and they wanted to put her back in her cage! 

“Stay away!” Gemma whipped her arm back, shooting a tornado-strength wind behind her. When she entered the sparse forest, she prayed it would slow her pursuers down. She tried to go faster, but her legs were far too malnourished, far too fatigued. Her energy resources were running low as well. Without proper meals, she had grown too emaciated and weak to support the sort of energy consumption her powers required.

“Miss! Stop! We aren’t here to hurt you!” Another voice, this one with a robotic twang, called, closer than the other. 

Gemma stumbled over tree roots and fell to her knees. Glancing back, she cussed. Two men were flying after her, one with a red cape and blue robes, and the other in red and gold metal armor. She picked up a rock and threw it at them, using the time it took them to dodge to draw water from the ground. She flung it at them and froze it. The ice chunks clinked off the man with the armor, and they rebounded off of some fiery shield the man in the cape created. Gemma clamored to her feet and faced them. She took a few steps back.

“Stay away! Leave me alone!” The air around Gemma crackled with electricity. She dug her toes into the dirt. Reaching out with the rest of her energy, she managed to grab ahold of something to toss at them. Gemstones spiked up around her to fend them off. They bursted from the earth to point at her pursuers, sharp as knives.

The man in the metal suit raised a placating hand. “Hey, we aren’t here to hurt you.”

“Who the hell are you?” Gemma growled. A bolt of her lightning struck the ground near the two men.

The man in the metal suit grabbed his mask and took it off. “Uh, you don’t know me? Avengers? Iron Man? Wealthy playboy genius? Ring any bells?”

Gemma’s lips parted. “Oh my God, you’re Tony Stark. You’re Tony Stark.”

Tony beamed as he put his hands on his hips. “Yeah, you got it. I knew you would know me. So, you were a prisoner there I take it? How long? Are there other survivors?”

“I-I don’t know… I don’t know anything anymore,” Gemma muttered. “Others? No… not in my room… all dead. Some for days.” She took a step toward the two men and wobbled. All her energy and adrenaline vanished; it took all she had not to pass out right then and there.

“Harry Potter, wizard her to the ground before she hurts herself or something,” Tony ordered the other man. The other man, Doctor Strange, gave Tony a look but did as he was asked. He waved a circle with his hands, and a sparkling circle guided Gemma to take a seat in the grass.

“Th-Thanks…” Gemma breathed. Her whole being shivered. Tears stung her eyes. She was safe, actually safe, for the first time in a long time. She had survived, and she had escaped. She had done it, somehow and someway.

Both Tony and Doctor Strange approached Gemma cautiously, squatting in front of her.

“You’re safe now. That’s some power you’ve got there,” Tony gently nudged her arm. Gemma flinched slightly as her lips twitched up for a moment.

“Very powerful magic indeed. Elemental. Have you explored all of it?” Strange tilted his head to the side.

Gemma shook her head. “No. I rarely had time to practice. I only recently discovered I could use ice and electricity. I just found out I can move gemstones as well. It’s all new to me, and for a moment it felt like I was about to explode.” She bit her lip and drew her knees to her chest. She held her arms over her shins to hide the scarring.

Strange shared a look with Tony. “Alright, well, I can see right away that you’re malnourished and exhausted. That’s enough for today. Do you feel up for returning with us?”

“We can help you. Feed you, clothe you, help you explore your power, get you back on your feet. In fact, we could use someone like you,” Tony added.

Strange narrowed his eyes. “Stark, not now. She’s been through so much. That can be discussed later. First, she needs food, water, a medical evaluation, and a shower. No offense.”

Gemma snorted and covered her mouth. It felt good to laugh after so long. “Alright, alright. A shower sounds really nice right about now.” She quirked a tiny grin.

“It’s settled then. Welcome to the Avengers, Red. At least for now. Let’s meet the rest of the gang.” Tony waved his hand for the other two to follow him.

“Red?” Gemma raised a brow at Doctor Strange.

Strange shrugged. “He likes to try and nickname everyone. Red, you have red hair.” He helped Gemma stand and walked with her back to the building. He watched her out of the corner of his eye. “What’s your real name, by the way?” He asked.

“Gemma Walker. Gemma,” Gemma replied, turning to gaze at the older man. “And you are?”

“Doctor Stephen Strange. Stephen is fine,” he introduced.

Gemma’s jaw dropped. “Oh my God, you’re THE Doctor Stephen Strange? The neurosurgeon, well, ex-neurosurgeon?”

Stephen nodded. “That’s me. Now I’m more Sorcerer Supreme, Master of the Mystic Arts and all that.”

Gemma giggled, pink tainting her cheeks. “Oh my God… I wrote a research paper about you in college when you were groundbreaking in your field. I had to analyze you and your surgical techniques.” She glanced at the grass and rubbed her arm.

Stephen chuckled. “Really? Did I get you an A?”

“No. My analysis of you earned me the A. You yourself got me nothing.” Gemma smirked.

Stephen returned the smirk. “Touché, Miss Walker, touché.”

Gemma smiled to herself. Doctor Stephen Strange didn’t disappoint in person like she had worried he would. He seemed nice enough, definitely easy on the eye. A stark different to what her analysis years ago had revealed to her. She would have to talk to him more in the future. Perhaps he, being a Mystic Arts Master, could help her sort out exactly what had been done to her.

“Hurry up! My God, you guys are slow!” Tony turned to whine at them from the hole in the side of the building.

Gemma swallowed as she gazed at the concrete prison from the outside. She wanted to root her body right there, outside that hellish place. Only the gentle press of Stephen’s hand on her back reminded her that she was in safe hands now and could trust these people. She took a slow step up through the rubble and back into the building. She crossed her arms over her stomach and held tight. Cracks littered the entire place, and some of the fallen rubble had killed her captor soldiers. The rest of the soldiers had been taken out by the Avengers. The bastards deserved it.

“Stark, where did you and Strange go? Oh! You got the earthquake girl!” A man with red, white, and blue shield stepped forwards. Gemma recognized him as Captain America. The Captain stuck out his hand. “Steve Rogers, at your service.”

Gemma rested her hand gently in his and shook it. “Gemma. Gemma Walker.”

“You found the Avatar chick! Freaking bending the Earth like Toph! Are you the master of all four elements?” A boy, barely a man, swung down, dressed in webbed red garb.

“Excuse me?” Gemma cocked her head to the side.

“Ignore him, he makes a lot of pop culture references that no one understands. That’s Peter Parker.” Tony waved a careless hand.

“Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man!” Peter eagerly shook Gemma’s hand.

“Calm down, Pete. You’ll freak her out. She’s been through enough hell. I’m Natasha.” A woman in a tight black jumpsuit waved, placing a hand on Peter’s shoulder to calm his excitement down.

Gemma gave a small wave in return. Natasha’s eyes fell on the scar on Gemma’s arm, but Gemma hid it against herself. Natasha pressed her lips together in a sympathetic smile, saying nothing, and Gemma was grateful. Tony proceeded to introduce her to the rest of the current Avengers. There was Sam Wilson (Falcon), Bruce Banner (Hulk), Vision, Wanda Maximoff (Scarlet Witch), T’Challa (Black Panther), Clint Barton (Hawkeye), and Thor. Gemma greeted each one, hoping she would keep all of their names straight. She wavered at one point, so Thor volunteered to carry her back to the Stark Tower.

“So, are you not a goddess of earth?” Thor asked as they flew back. The rest of the Avengers either flew or rode in their jet, except Doctor Strange, who made himself a portal.

Gemma rolled her eyes with a snort. “Hardly a goddess, and not just earth. I can manipulate elements by connecting to its energy with my own… they experimented on me in that building, and next thing I knew, I could do things like this.” She crackled some electricity on her fingertips. “You use your hammer to control lightning, correct?”

“Indeed, you are correct. Perhaps, in the future, I can mentor your powers in that category, if you would have it so,” Thor said as he landed. He easily carried Gemma bridal style into the kitchen. The flying Avengers, and Doctor Strange, were already there.

“Friday, prepare a bowl of chicken noodle soup for Gemma. Oh, Gemma, if you choose to stay with us, you’re going to need a room and a codename.” Tony turned to the ginger woman as the blonde god set her down.

“IF. That’s the keyword there. If I stay. I just want to get back to my life. I have a business to check on, a degree to make use of,” Gemma said. She went to fiddle with her locket until she realized it wasn’t there anymore.

“What’s your business’s name and location? You eat, I’ll check on it for you,” Tony offered with a knowing look. He knew how it felt to own a business, the desire to do anything to protect and grow that business.

Gemma nodded in agreement, and she told him. A bowl of soup was slid in front of her. Stephen winked and left her be. Gemma thanked him and picked up the spoon carefully, taking a small bite. She hummed at the flavor, the slight salty tang of the broth complementing the thick noodles and sweet chicken. She had nearly forgotten what actual food tasted like.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments and kudos to let me know what you guys think so far! They make my day! Thank you all for reading so far!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm so sorry this update was late! I had some writer's block for a bit during editing, but I finally finished! Hopefully you all enjoy! No spoilers or anything yet. Thanks for reading!

The others walked in after a few minutes, and Gemma gave a soft smile in greeting. Sipping her soup from her spoon, Gemma felt more peaceful than she had in a long while. Natasha made her way over and sat beside her.

“Finally, more girls around here,” she said. “Too much T. I. S.”

“T. I. S.?” Gemma raised a brow.

“Testosterone-Induced Stupidity. These guys are complete dorks, and they’re always trying to show each other up. Too much ego and pride, not enough space in this tower. Soon enough, it’ll feel like a dysfunctional family if you choose to stay. I hope you do. You could do a lot of good here,” Natasha explained.

Gemma’s lips quirked up at the corners. “I like that acronym. I like it a lot. And maybe I will, I really don’t know. I just miss my old life, you know? It’s less… complicated.”

“I understand. Just consider it.” Natasha patted Gemma’s shoulder. “Bruce and Strange will want to do a medical evaluation after you clean up and everything. For now, you can use my bathroom and borrow my clothes. If they don’t fit, I’m sure Wanda wouldn’t mind sharing either.”

“Take whatever you need,” Wanda said as she walked by, grabbing a water from the fridge.

“Thank you both. I might need help with my hair… I haven’t brushed it in who knows how long… and it’s really long and matted now.” Gemma lifted a strand and cringed.

Natasha laughed and nodded. “Of course I’ll help. We’re family around here, remember?”

Gemma gave a nod. She pushed her bowl of soup away, too afraid to throw up if she ate more. She stood, and Natasha led her to the bathroom, handing her towels and a change of clothes: black athletic leggings, a loose-fitting t-shirt, a simple bralette and its matching panties. Gemma thanked her again, and laid the things to the side. She looked at herself in the mirror as she finally stripped off the nasty orange prison-dress and granny-panties she had worn the whole time of her captivity. Her breath hitched. Down her sternum was a ridged scar, matching the ones on her forearms and shins. Her hip bones protruded, and she could count her ribs one by one. Her cheekbones stuck out like razors.

“My God…” she muttered. She turned and winced. Down the knobs of her spine was another scar to match the others, the biggest scarring resting on the nape of her neck. Gemma bit her lip, ashamed of her tarnished skin and haggard appearance.

Turning her head away, Gemma stepped into the shower and turned it on. She gasped at the sensation of water rolling over her body. The water flowing over her skin brought a smile to her face. At last, the dirt and grime and abuse was cleansed from her body and hair. 

Gemma vowed never to take running water for granted ever again. As she soaked her hair in conditioner for the third time, just to make it as brushable and soft as possible, she played with the water, making droplets swirl around her and coalesce into a massive drop. Turning off the water, she used the massive drop to rinse the conditioner and remaining soap and dirt from her body.

As she stepped out of the shower, Gemma wrapped her hair and body in towels. She dried and dressed herself, humming at the feel of fresh cloth against her skin. She and Natasha must have been the same size, because the clothing was a near-perfect fit. A little loose, but once Gemma gained some healthy weight, they would fit much better.

“Gemma? You ready?” Nathasha knocked.

“Coming!” Gemma came out of the bathroom and sat in the chair Natasha had ready for her.

“I’ll take care of your hair. I noticed it looked really choppy on the ends, so I can trim it up nicely for you if you want,” Natasha offered.

Gemma bobbed her head as she sat up straighter. “Please do, it’s horrible.”

Natasha winked and worked her magic, brushing through the matted strands until they were smooth and untangled. She brought out the scissors once it was brushed through, and she cut about two to three inches off of the ends to straighten them up. When she finished cutting, she added some styling spray and blew the hair dry. 

“There you go. All better. You have really nice hair. We could be the red-haired twins,” she commented with a smile.

Gemma grinned at her reflection, feeling much more like herself again. “It looks amazing Natasha, thank you so much!” She ran her fingers through it with a look like a kid in a candy store.

“You can call me Nat if you want. And you don’t need to keep thanking me, it’s the least I could do after the hell you’ve just been through. Just take it easy, okay? This may not seem overwhelming yet, but it will soon. I’m here for you, and so is everyone else.” Natasha ruffled her hair, careful not to mess it up too much.

“I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you. Again.” Gemma smiled and stood. “So you said I have to get a med eval?”

“Yes, in the labs. This way.” Natasha opened the door to find Clint about to knock.

“Oh, you’re ready. Bruce and Strange sent me to grab her.” He gestured to Gemma.

“Yeah, we’re coming. Girls take a while to primp, you know.” Natasha winked and walked ahead.

Clint rolled his eyes at the spy. He turned to Gemma. “Gemma, right?”

“Yes, that’s me. Gemma Walker. And you’re Clint correct? Katniss, as Tony called you?”

Cint chuckled and nodded. “That’s me alright.” He chatted some more with Gemma on the way to the lab.

When they reached it, Gemma’s eyes lit up. “This lab is amazing!” She breathed, running her fingers over some of the equipment. Gleaming stainless steel and white machines lined the glass walls. “I wish my store had room for equipment like this…”

“Why would your store need equipment like this?” Natasha asked.

“Oh, I’m a pharmacist, and I make a lot of my own medications. I can’t make anything advanced though, since I don’t have lab-scale equipment. Nothing groundbreaking either. Just home remedies on a more technical level. I used to work in a lab, but it was not nearly as nice as this one,” Gemma answered.

“So, in other words, you’re a doctor?” Natasha confirmed.

“Of pharmacy, yes. I have my PharmD as well as my PhD in biochemistry. Somehow I got them both at the same time with a double major. It was awful, but worth it.” 

“Now there’s three of them,” Clint snickered.

“Three what?” Gemma raised a brow.

“Three doctors.” Stephen Strange came walking around a piece of machinery. “You, me, and Dr. Banner.”

“Oh! I suppose that’s right then!” Gemma’s laughter tinkled through the room.

Clint and Natasha waved and left her with Stephen, who led Gemma further into the lab. Bruce stood next to an exam table with his back to them. Stephen helped Gemma up onto the exam table. He explained to her that this was just a physical to make sure her organs weren’t in danger of shutdown, given the abuse she had suffered. Gemma nodded and took the medical gown Bruce handed her.

“I know this is awkward, and I apologize, but we need-”

Gemma held up her hand. “It’s alright, Bruce. I understand. We’re all doctors here, in some way. I know you both will do what you need to do in the most professional way. No need to be prudish.”

Both men blinked, and then Stephen let out a snort. “Alright then. You heard her, Bruce.” He closed the blinds on the lab walls and doors for her privacy. “No need to be prudish at all.”

Gemma shook her head and turned her back to them. She slid off her clothing save the bralette and underwear, and she slipped into the thin medical gown. She turned back around and sat on examination table. She held her inner arms against her stomach. “Alright, let’s get to it,” she said.

Stephen grabbed a stethoscope and placed it on Gemma’s chest. “Inhale deeply for me,” he said. Gemma complied and took a deep breath. Stephen moved the chestpiece to another spot on her and had her breathe again. He continued this on her back. He made a soft noise when he felt a ridge on her spine.

“Gemma, your heart sounds fine, but what’s this on your back? I thought I felt something.” Stephen brushed his fingers over the scarring on her back.

Gemma sucked in air and arched out of his touch. “Nothing… it’s nothing,” she lied.

“Gemma, you have to tell us the truth so we can do our best to help you,” Bruce said as he gave her a sympathetic look.

Gemma looked at the ground. “I know. I’m sorry for hiding it all but… well, look.” She lifted her legs to point at the scars on her shins. She unfolded her arms to reveal the scars there as well. “There are matching ones down my sternum and spine.” She pressed her lips together in a thin line.

Stephen took a step closer. “May I see?” He asked. Gemma responded with a small nod, handing him her arm. Stephen took it in his trembling hands. Gemma knew of his accident, had even been recruited to design him specific pain medication to help him recover. She eyed the scars on the tops of his hands and fingers before she looked him in the eye, nothing but understanding in the doctor’s unique eyes. Gemma studied the color, a mixture of blue and green she had never seen before. There was even a hint of grey around his pupil that added mystery to his eyes, something more intriguing than even the smile lines and stress lines Gemma found quite suiting to those eyes.

“Please, go ahead,” Gemma whispered. Stephen understood more than most would, she knew. She moved the arm in his grasp, watching him examine the scar on the inner forearm. His fingers ghosted down the mark to draw goosebumps on her skin.

“Bruce, write this down.” Bruce grabbed a clipboard at Stephen’s instruction. “Scarring a result of severe laceration to the skin, probably caused by a scalpel or knife. Further examination needed to determine the extent of damage to tissue beneath. Wounds were treated surprisingly well, stitched, and cleaned. Messy stitching, though, caused the degree of scarring present. Matching scars on all four limbs, sternum, and spine.”

Stephen examined Gemma’s other arm and shins. “I hate to ask, but can you remove the gown so I can see the others?”

Gemma swallowed and gave a brief nod. “Yes. Fine. Bruce, can you hand me that rubber band?”

Bruce raised a brow, but he did as asked. Gemma tied her hair up in a knot with the band, and she slid out of the medical gown.

Stephen furrowed his brows. “Severe malnourishment, as displayed by prominent pelvis and ribs. Needs slow reintegration to food and water. Start on soft foods. Scar down the sternum, reaching between the breasts, but no lower than the end of the sternum.” He observed. “Gemma, may I feel the scars?”

Gemma lied back on the table. “Go ahead.”

Stephen gently ran his hands across the scar and down to her navel. He pressed a bit to check her internal organs. “Have you been getting regular periods?” He asked. Bruce choked on air, but Gemma answered without hesitation.

“No.” Gemma shook her head. “I don’t remember the last period I had. Malnutrition has stopped them entirely. My fat content is very low, so my body is in starvation mode.”

Stephen cracked a smile. “Gemma, you should have been a physician, not a pharmacist. You’re absolutely correct. We’ll need to keep an eye on that, alright? Your organs feel fine, nothing out of the ordinary. You just need to gain some weight.”

“Is that the good news?”

Stephen shrugged. “Perhaps. Turn over?”

Gemma turned to lay on her stomach. “The worst of the scarring is at the nape of my neck,” she informed him.

Stephen brushed the scarring with his fingertips and sighed. “Yes, it seems so. Does it hurt at all when I touch it?”

“No, not then. Add more pressure though,” Gemma told him.

Stephen gave a stronger press to the scar tissue. “Anything?”

“No, no pain. It did hurt, though, when I first discovered it. It was like a knife was splitting my brain in two.” Gemma turned her head to look back at both Stephen and Bruce. “Ugly, right?”

“No, not at all. It’s not the ideal, but you are alive. That’s what matters,” Stephen said in a firm voice.

Gemma pushed herself up and wrapped herself in the medical gown. “You’re right, I suppose. We can work with alive. Dead, not so much, but the living, we can help. Fix, even.”

“You’ll get through it. I promise you will.” Stephen took her hand in his and pulsed it. Pink dusted Gemma’s cheeks, and she gave a small nod.

Bruce cleared his throat. “Anyway, can we do some tests and scans to make sure everything is alright internally?”

Gemma blinked and pulled her hand back. “Of course, do what you need to do. I’m assuming a blood test, MRI or CT scan or both?” She arched an eyebrow.

“Yes. Blood work for now, and we can do an MRI later if we need to. Depending on the bloodwork, we may want to put you on a saline drip to rehydrate you,” Bruce answered. He prepared a needle to take some blood.

Gemma gulped and gripped her medical gown. Stephen caught her and raised a questioning brow. “I hate needles. Hate them with a passion.” She shuddered at the thought of the thing being inserted into her veins.

Stephen couldn’t hold in his chuckle. “Afraid of needles? You’re a pharmacist, don’t you give flu shots all the time? Shouldn’t you be comfortable with this sort of thing?”

“Hey, it’s a legitimate fear! Just because I can give other people a shot doesn’t mean I’m okay with this microscopic tube sucking my own blood out of my veins.” Gemma stuck her tongue between her teeth.

Stephen rolled his eyes. “Whatever happened to the professionalism we were all supposed to have?”

“Stephen, one more word out of you and I’ll freeze your mouth shut.” Gemma pointed a threatening finger.

“Is this a flirt fest now? Why wasn’t I invited?” Tony said from the doorway, having snuck in without anyone noticing. Both Gemma and Stephen coughed and blushed all the way to their ears. Bruce snickered at their expense.

Gemma clenched her jaw as Bruce began to draw her blood. She couldn’t look at the crook of her elbow, where the needle sat. Just thinking about it made her ill. She jumped when she felt something shaky wrap around her pinky finger. Glancing over, she saw that Stephen had casually wrapped his pinky around hers. He caught her gaze and winked, setting Gemma at ease. Biting her lip to keep from smiling, she gripped his pinky tightly with hers.

Tony crossed his arms over his chest. “So, Gemma, I’ve got some bad news-”

“Stark, can it wait? She’s been through a lot and could use a moment to have some normalcy for once,” Stephen interjected, eyes narrowed. Tony puffed up his chest and glared back.

“Stephen, it’s alright. Go ahead, Tony. Tell me.” Gemma pulsed and released Stephen’s finger to rest her hands in her lap.

Tony took a deep breath. “It’s your business and apartment. I looked into it for you… it’s all been repossessed. You’ve been a missing person for over a year.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading! Updates may slow down a little since I'm working like 3 jobs now T-T but I think I will be able to update about every other week like I originally thought! Please feel free to leave comments and kudos to let me know how I'm doing!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! A little late on the update again, but I made this chapter a little longer, and I spent more time editing that usual. No spoilers! I hope you enjoy! Let me know in the comments what you think, and don't forget to leave kudos! Thanks!

“You’ve been a missing person for over a year.”

The words hit Gemma like a punch to the stomach. Over a year? She had been missing for over a year? She stared at her fists in her lap, knuckles white. Had anyone even looked for her? Had anyone noticed she was missing? Her store was gone; her home was gone. All her hard work, wasted. The tears slipped from her eyes before she even realized she was crying.

“I’m sorry, Gemma. I know it must have meant a lot to you. A missing persons report was filed by someone named George, and it was backed by a few others… uh, Holt, I think one of the names was,” Tony explained.

Gemma released a watery sound. “George and the Holts… at least they noticed I was gone. No one else? My parents didn’t try to call or anything?”

“I’m sorry, no.”

Gemma squeezed her eyes shut to try and dry them. “And my pharmacy is gone?”

“You were gone over a year, nearly two, so the bank repossessed it and sold it when you failed to pay the rent. Same with your apartment. Most of your possessions are being held in storage, though, so I can have someone retrieve them for you if you want,” Tony offered.

Gemma nodded. “Yes, please do. And Stark? Is that offer to stay here still open? It seems I have no life to get back to after all.”

“Of course, Gemma. I’ll have a room prepared for you. I know it sucks right now, but I promise you, you can have a really good life here with us.” Tony reached out and patted her shoulder.

“Stark, I think she needs some time.” Stephen looked at Gemma’s face. Gemma gave a nod in response, eyes cloudy.

Tony rubbed the back of his neck and coughed. “Yeah… yeah, of course. I’ll just go then.” He jabbed his thumb toward the door. “Sorry.” He shuffled back and out of the labs.

Gemma stared off at the wall, lost in her own mind. Nearly two years… nearly two years, gone like they never happened. Torment and agony, enough pain to last several lifetimes, ate up enough time to erase everything she had accomplished. All the years of schooling, all the money spent, all of the blood, sweat, and tears… vanished in the blink of an eye.

Stephen sighed and looked at Gemma. “Are you okay?”

Gemma ground her teeth and flicked her eyes up to meet his. “What do you think?! How would you feel if your life was completely ripped out from under you?!”

“I would be angry, upset, all like what you’re feeling-”

“You have no idea what it feels like!” Gemma snapped. She hopped to her feet, muscles taught. Flames licked the edges of her skin. The air in the room warmed a few degrees.

“Uhhh, Gemma…” Bruce warned.

Stephen looked her right in the eyes. “I do know how it feels. It’s awful. Terrible.”

“YOU KNOW NOTHING! NOTHING!” Fire jumped from her, headed straight for Stephen. His eyes widened as the fire approached. Waving his hand, he created a shield to deflect the heat just in time.

“Trust me, I know more than most! That’s why I’m here trying to help you! I didn’t have to. I’m not an Avenger, I was asked by Tony to accompany and consult on that mission. But I stayed because I KNOW what having your life taken from you feels like. I’ve already lived it,” he said, baritone voice sharp as a blade. He flinched further behind his shield when one of her flames kissed the skin of his arm.

Gemma blinked, fire extinguishing when she saw the wound smoke and redden. “Oh God…” She muttered. “Stephen… Stephen, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean-”

Stephen held up a large hand. “Wong has been alone in the Sanctum for far too long. Bruce, email me her results when you get the chance.” He turned and made a portal to the Sanctum Sanctorum. He walked through and closed the sparking portal with finality.

Gemma’s chest tightened as he disappeared. She cradled her face in her hands, body shaking. “Shit…”

Bruce removed her blood sample and offered a small grin. “Hey, it’s alright. He’ll come back around once he cools off. For now, focus on getting yourself back to health and on adjusting to living here. It’ll take some time, but everything will be okay.” He placed a band-aid on her arm.

“I’m also someone who just hurt him beyond words,” Gemma sighed and picked at her medical gown. “I suppose you’re right. It’s just been a lot at once.” Her voice broke at last. Bruce rubbed her arm. Gemma sniffed and rubbed furiously at her eyes. “I’m a mess,” she laughed through her tears.

“Go and get some dinner and some sleep. I’m putting your saline drip on wheels, so it’s mobile. It’ll help you bounce back to normal faster,” Bruce said. He inserted the IV once the drip bag was prepared. Gemma closed her eyes to avoid looking at where the needle stuck in her skin.

“Thanks, Bruce,” Gemma said. “Is there any medication I should be taking to aid in my recovery? I can whip something up in this lab if that’s okay. It’ll give me something to occupy my time and my mind.”

“Yeah, of course. I could use a fellow biochemist to help me and Tony with projects. I would suggest extra strength vitamins and minerals to keep your immune system up while you recover. Protein supplements as well. Once you regain some weight, I’ll do another check-up to set up some basic training to get you prepared for exercising your powers.”

Gemma flashed a thumbs up. “Sounds good, Dr. Banner. I’ll keep all that in mind. Thanks for everything… if you see Stephen, can you tell him I really am sorry? What I said and did… I’m not so sure it’s forgivable at this point. I burned him when he was nothing but polite and caring. I’m doing the opposite of making friends.”

“He’ll come around, Gemma. I swear it. I’ll even help.” Bruce winked. “After all, I need to claim my spot as your first official friend.”

Gemma giggled and nodded. “Absolutely. Don’t tell Natasha though. She was kind of the first. Chicks before dicks and all that girl-code stuff.”

Bruce shrugged. “What can a guy do when you have a catch phrase like that?” He waved her off as she walked out, tugging along her saline drip.

That night, Gemma followed Bruce’s instructions to a T. She ate a decent dinner of soft foods and went straight to bed. Bruce had been right. The saline drip helped her recover much quicker. Within the next three weeks, Gemma felt stronger and better than she ever had, and she had fallen into a comfortable routine. She ate what was outlined by the healthy meal plan Bruce had her on. She had even started some light exercise and training with the other Avengers. Nothing too strenuous, just enough to allow her to gain back some healthy, toned muscle. Being fit would be beneficial when her real training began, especially if her powers were involved.

Within that fourth week, Gemma felt almost back to normal. Bruce’s strict regiments helped, as did her own concoctions she made in the lab when Tony let her work. Currently, she sat on a stool, hunched over some samples for a liquid medicine she was designing. Her hair sat atop her head in a loose bun, pieces framing her face. Her lab coat dangled around the stool she sat on, her legs crossed over one another. How she sat the way she did on a stool was under constant debate by the other Avengers.

Gemma blew a fringe of hair from her view. She was nearly done, nearly free of the lab goggles digging into her nose and forehead, nearly finished with the healing serum Tony’s technology had allowed her to formulate. It was amazing what cutting edge technology could help people accomplish. Gemma filled a pipet full of a blue solution and carefully dripped it a drop at a time into her test tube. After ten drops, she placed it in one of the machines to be swirled as she wrote her current experiment steps down in her lab notebook. She brought the serum out and started dripping again when a portal opened right in front of her, startling her into dropping the test tube. She whined as it shattered on the ground, spilling blue across the white tile.

“How professional,” a certain doctor muttered as he stepped through the portal, dressed in full garb. He floated over to a stack of books on Bruce’s desk.

Gemma paused her cleanup. “Stephen! You scared me… hey, I wanted to talk with you, if you have a moment.” She stood and approached him.

Stephen barely spared her a glance as he gathered the books. “Is that so? Hmm… no.” He turned his back to her and left through a new portal.

Gemma’s jaw dropped, and her brows furrowed. “He… I can’t believe he just… just… snubbed me like that… he didn’t know what I wanted to say…” She wiped her forehead. “I deserve this treatment,” she clapped her hands together, “but he deserves a proper apology.”

Bruce walked in at that moment, glancing at the spill on the floor. “Is everything alright?”

Gemma flushed pink. “Yes, everything’s fine. I was working on my healing serum when Stephen came in through a portal and scared me. I dropped it.” She gestured to the mess. She grabbed some paper towels to clean up the ruined serum.

“Strange came in? He was in here? With you?” Bruce asked, eyes wide.

“Yes, he was. He just popped in to grab some books from your desk. I tried to apologize, but he brushed me off. I’ll just need to be more persistent next time.”

Bruce cleared his throat. “Yeah, well… um… that actually might not be a great idea,” he mumbled.

“What?” Gemma jerked her head up to look at him. “Why not?”

“Well… you see…”

“Bruce, spit it out.”

Bruce sighed. “I tried to talk to him earlier, before he came in here. I wanted him to give you another chance. He wasn’t having any of it. In fact, I feel like me mentioning you made the problem worse. He’s hurt, and he’s terribly stubborn.” Bruce ran a hand through his dark, curly hair. “He’s miffed by what happened. He told me to tell you-”

Gemma stood, paper towels crinkled in her fists. “What did he tell you to say, Bruce?”

“I-It’s nothing. I’m really sorry, Gemma, I really am. This is his way of trying to hurt you back, I suppose.” Bruce reached out to rest a hand on her shoulder.

Gemma shrugged him off. “It’s… it’s fine. I should have expected as much.” Her eyes fell to the floor. She grinded her teeth to keep her emotions at bay. “Next time you see him, could you just tell him that I’m sorry and that I won’t bother him again?”

“Of course I will. I’m so sorry he’s being this way. He’s always been rather… well, strange. Doesn’t like to be a regular Avenger with the rest of us, anyway. There is good news to all of this though!”

Gemma raised a brow. “There is? How is there any good news to any of this?”

“He finally cleared you to begin training, real training! You’re also free to come and go at will,” Bruce said. “Natasha and Clint will take over your physical training, and Steve and Thor will help with power development. Tony and I will monitor, and Wanda is going to be a sort of mentor. She is learning control like you are, so she will be a good source of guidance if you have any questions.” A dorky smile adorned his lips as he adjusted his glasses. Gemma was unable to resist giving a smile of her own.

“I suppose that is good news. When do I start training?” She asked.

“Tomorrow. Maybe even a little later tonight, if you feel up to it.”

Gemma pumped her fist in the air and cheered. “Yes! Finally! I have been waiting so long for this!”

Bruce chuckled. “Just make sure to take it easy. You don’t want to overdo it and undo all the progress your health has made.”

“I know, I know. I’ll be careful, I promise. Especially if I finish developing this healing serum soon.” Gemma tossed the paper towels in the trash.

Bruce rolled his eyes. “That won’t happen if you keep dropping the test tubes.”

“You know what, I don’t appreciate your commentary.” Gemma pouted and put away her experiment for later. “I think I’m going to go take a walk. I haven’t been outside this tower since I got here, and I want to see what’s become of my store and home.”

Bruce flashed her a thumbs up and went to his desk to start his projects. Gemma hung up her lab coat and put her goggles away. Dressed in a purple cami and black leggings, she walked through the pristine tower, decked in the best stainless steel appliances and latest technology, to the elevator. The moment Gemma stepped outside, she tilted her face up to the evening sun and inhaled the New York air.

“God, I’ve missed this.” She let the light warm her face a moment longer before she started walking down the street. Gemma traced the familiar sights and sounds and took in the new ones. The streets were just as crowded and the roads as loud as she remembered. Before she knew it, she had paused in front of the door to her apartment. The decorative knocker she had put on the door, shaped like a seashell, was gone. In fact, the door was painted a whole new color, smooth white replacing the once-textured teal.

Gemma’s legs moved her up the steps, but her better judgement turned her around and back to the sidewalk. She started moving towards her old store. Her heart dropped when she saw it. No longer was there a bright green sign that read “Pharmacy”. Now, it was a store for video games, a hub for children, teenagers, and adults alike. Gemma swallowed the lump in her throat. All her years of work and study was gone, really gone. This was reality she was seeing in front of her, cold, cruel, and clear as day.

“Oh my God… Gemma?!”

Gemma turned and saw George with his son Kyle, both walking towards the store. Her jaw dropped. “George? Oh my God!” She ran at him and crushed him in a hug.

“Where have you been?! You were missing for so long! We looked everywhere! I was so worried, Jackie too! We thought you were gone forever! You’re so skinny!” George cupped the back of her head and held her close.

Tears stung at Gemma’s eyes. She shook her head and pulled back from the embrace. “No, no, I’m here now! It’s a long story, but I was rescued. Tony Stark and the Avengers. They took me in and are helping me recover. They even offered me a new job and spot on their team.”

“Woah! You’re a superhero! Auntie Gemma is a superhero, Dad!” Kyle beamed.

Gemma laughed and ruffled his hair. “I guess you’re right, Kyle. You’ve grown up so much!” 

George looked into her eyes. “You’re okay now though? Like really okay?”

Gemma nodded. “Yes, I am. Thanks to them, I’m getting better. I just got cleared for training, so I’ll be a full-fledged Avenger before you know it!”

“That’s good then. If you ever need regular people to talk with, Jackie and I are always here for you. Our doors and arms are always open for you,” George said.

Grinning, Gemma thanked him and let him and Kyle go on their way. Her heart soared. Her old life hadn’t completely abandoned her after all. She headed back to Stark Tower for dinner. She glanced back at her store for the last time. A figure cloaked in black stood in the middle of the street. Cars passed around it without hesitation, as if the drivers didn’t even notice. Gemma paused to stare at it. Discomfort shot through her head.

“Ahh!” Gemma’s hand flew to the nape of her neck. Her vision blurred, so she closed her eyes. Her time in captivity flashed behind her eyelids. Soldiers strapped her down to a table, beating her and drowning her with water. She laid there for days as it drove her to the brink. Then came the constant electrocution. Her captors tied her to a metal chair, wires on the chair sending currents racing through her veins, and the Room of Silence that followed was something out of nightmares. Gemma fell to the sidewalk, her hands pressed to either side of her head.

“No… no, please no!” She wailed. The earth began to tremor. Her body pricked with heat. People walking on the sidewalk murmured in concern. Some gasped as a swift wind knocked them back. Gemma moaned, curling in on herself. A burst of energy escaped her. People on the sidewalk fell over, and car alarms went off. Buildings shook as flames and lightning licked Gemma’s skin. Water pooled up from the sewer grates to spread across the road, cars skidding to a stop to avoid it. Gemma cracked her eyes open, and the figure loomed closer. A light bulb exploded in the lamp post overhead, the glass raining down around her. Gemma clenched her eyes shut again as she fought for control.

“Just what ARE you doing?” A cool, deep voice above her growled.

Suddenly, the pain vanished, as did the memories. As Gemma snapped her eyes back open, the weather calmed itself like nothing had happened. Gemma panned her eyes up from the black boots wrapped in blue cloth in front of her. She scanned up the blue robes, leather belt, and red cape to look into the deeply disapproving eyes of the one and only Doctor Stephen Strange.

“Stephen… I-I-”

“Doctor Strange.”

“… What?”

“Didn’t Bruce tell you? I’d prefer it if you’d refer to me by my title. More formal that way.” Stephen crossed his arms over his chest. “Now, what are you doing letting your powers loose on the street?”

Gemma narrowed her eyes. She whirled to point at the figure, but it was gone. Her arm fell to her side. “I was… I took a walk and was heading back when-” She stopped herself to stand and brush off her leggings. She shook her head with a huff. “You know what, nevermind. Forget I said anything. It was a mistake. Good day, Doctor,” she spat the title like venom.

Gemma wrapped her arms around herself and stalked off. Not only could she tell from the look on his face, but she could feel it in her bones that he thought she was crazy. His routine, that of a ‘real doctor’ talking down to her, she knew that routine well. The way he spoke to her hurt her more than she cared to admit. He hated her, and it was all her fault. She had aspired in her college years to be as good in her field as Stephen was in his, and it felt awful to disappoint him so soon after meeting him.

“Fuuuuuuuck,” Gemma groaned as she walked, catching a few stares from passersby. She ignored them, however, and kept walking at a brisk pace. She reached the Stark Tower in record time, and she rushed into the elevator. 

Once inside, she sunk to the ground. The walk had only posed more questions about the circumstances of her captivity. Just who had taken her? Her gut told her it had to do with the figure she had seen in the street. One of the soldiers had said his boss had hand-picked her. Was it this figure? Who was he, and what did he want with her? Gemma groaned as her head throbbed. Too many questions and not enough answers. Gemma preferred answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos make my day! Thank you all for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back everybody! Sorry for the delay! I was out of country and had no Wi-Fi, and then when I got home, my laptop updated and erased almost half of my memory. The original chapter file I had saved and ready to be edited for you all was deleted, so I had to start all over. This chapter probably isn't as good as the other one, but I hope it makes up for my lack of updates! I will do my best to improve the future chapters for you all! No spoilers or anything, just inaccuracies to Age of Ultron. I hope you all enjoy!

The elevator slid open with a faint ding. Gemma rubbed her face. Complication had ruined her life.

“Dr. Walker?” Gemma glanced up. Vision hovered in the elevator doorway, head tilted to the side. “Dr. Walker, are you alright?”

Gemma pushed herself to her feet. “Yes, I am. I just tired myself out on my walk. Nothing to worry about.”

Vision frowned, but he moved aside to let her by. “I was just on my way to tell Miss Maximoff, we are having a team dinner tonight. You are seated between Miss Romanoff and Mr. Rogers.”

“Thank you, Vision. Just… please don’t say anything about this to Bruce. Let me be the one to bring it up to him.”

“Alright, Dr. Walker. This will stay between us,” Vision said. He floated past, and Gemma let out a sigh.

Stepping out of the elevator, Gemma pressed a hand to her temple. She made her way to the dining hall and put on her best smile. The table was nearly full of the Tower’s resident heroes, save the few rarely, if ever, came. Gemma sat in her spot next to Natasha. She smirked when she noticed how chatty Natasha and Bruce were being. Over Gemma’s time in the Tower, she had noticed the two growing closer. If she were to place a bet, she would say they already were or were bound to become a couple.

Gemma’s eyes wandered over the empty chairs. Steve had yet to arrive, as did Tony, Vision, and Wanda. Worry crept into Gemma’s mind, but it faded slightly as Vision, Steve, and Wanda arrived all at once.

“Hey Gemma, Bruce said you were cleared to begin your training. Congratulations!” Steve patted Gemma’s shoulder as he sat down.

Gemma’s eyes crinkled in the corners as she smiled. “Thanks, Steve. I’m really glad I can start living my life again. I even took a walk back to my old place. It’s all so different, so I was sad, but I saw an old friend, and that made my day.”

“Don’t I know the feeling. That’s great, Gemma, I’m happy to hear that,” Steve said.

“Gemma,” Bruce piped in, “what happened on your walk? Strange sent a message about some sort of breakdown…” His eyebrows furrowed behind his glasses. “Are you alright?”

Gemma swallowed, jaw tight. “Bruce, can we talk about this later?”

“Gemma, tell us what happened.” Natasha reached over and rested her hand on Gemma’s.

Gemma wetted her lips and shifted in her seat. “Well, I was fine until I started coming back to the Tower… I turned back to get one last look at the place when I saw this dude… but I couldn’t really see him. He was all in shadows, more of a silhouette really. A terrible pain shot from the scarring on my neck. It shot all the way up like a knife to the skull. Anyways, I…” She drifted off a moment, grimacing. “I started to lose control. Memories of my torture rushed back at once, and I couldn’t contain the power. No one was hurt, thankfully, but it would have been worse had Ste- Doctor Strange not shown up. He snapped me out of it, and that was that. Made him even more angry with me in the process, but I guess we are past the Avenger’s courtesy and all.” Gemma let out the breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding.

“That’s why you’re going to get trained, Gemma. That’s why you’re here. We’ve all been there at one point; we’ve all had to learn to control what we’ve got,” Steve assured her. “And as for Strange… he’s difficult to get along with, as reclusive as he is. I wouldn’t worry too much about him.”

“I guess you’re right… I just wish he would let me apologize.”

“He’s very prideful,” Natasha butted in. “Bruce told me what happened, and-”

“Bruce!”

“Sorry, Gemma, it slipped!”

“Anyway!” Natasha clapped her hands to grab their attention. “I don’t fault you, Gemma. No one here does. You were angry, upset, and totally fed up after the shit you were through. You’re coping so well after what you lived through.

“You had a right to act that way. I completely understand. But Strange, being the prideful man he is, took your reaction as an offense. He was, in all honesty, trying to help. Your actions deeply offended him, I’m sure, and he’s going to be stubborn to reach out and help you again. He played nice and got burned for it. He’s not used to reactions like that from ‘damsels in distress’,” Natasha explained.

Gemma hummed, lips pursed. “I suppose you’re right. I regret the way I acted. It wasn’t fair to him. I just want to sit down with him and talk about it so I can apologize the proper way.”

“Speaking of sitting down to talk,” Tony said as he walked in, “there are some things we need to discuss at dinner tonight.”

Everyone sat up straighter. Gemma glanced around with wide eyes. Everyone seemed to focus in and hang on every one of Tony’s words, and that made Gemma tense.

“There’s a mission,” Tony revealed, “and it has to do with the group we uncovered when we found Gemma.”

Gemma’s skin prickled. “You’ve found them? But… but didn’t they all die in the facility when I crumbled the place?”

“No. This is a bit bigger than just that facility, Red. That was only a cell of what we are really trying to uncover. This organization, whatever it is, has links to just about everything: the Chitauri invasion, Ultron’s empowerment, and you. Everything. We have another lead that we need to follow.” Tony sat with his elbows on the table, fingertips pressed together.

“Can I help?” Gemma’s voice shook as she asked.

“No.” Tony shook his head. “You are to stay here and work with Peter and Friday. You’re still being trained. The rest of us are moving to an alternative base to keep you as far out of this as we can. You aren’t ready physically or emotionally.”

“What?! But I can help! No one wants to catch the bastards who did this to me more than me! If I could just get some answers-”

“No, Gemma. It’s a no. Nothing is going to change that,” Tony said, face stern, unmoving.

Gemma inhaled sharply and huffed. She glared at her empty plate. She had lost her appetite, but she knew if she skipped a meal, Bruce would kill her. “When do you leave?”

“Tomorrow morning. This dinner tonight as a team, as a family, is a goodbye. We aren’t sure how things will go down, but we wanted you to know that you’re in good hands. You always will be. I promise you that,” Tony said.

Gemma’s eyes watered. She didn’t know whether to be pissed or upset. Just as she had found her place, change was happening once again. “I guess… Just don’t abandon me or anything, or I’ll kick your ass.”

“You know we would never abandon you, right? We’re a family, not just a team,” Steve said. 

Gemma nodded, flashing a soft smile. “I know, I know. Just be careful out there, and keep me updated.”

“Do the others know about this mission? T’Challa? Strange? Thor?” Steve turned to Tony.

Tony shook his head. “T’Challa is busy with matters in his own country at the moment. Strange doesn’t want to play friends right now and is headed back to Hogwarts or something. Thor left to attend to something on Asgard. No need to worry, though, everything will be fine.”

Dread ran up Gemma’s spine as those words left his mouth. Something would go wrong, she was sure of it. She pressed her mouth shut. No need to worry without reason. These people knew what they were doing. Everything would be alright.

At last, dinner was served. All serious conversation ended, opening the door for light banter among the team. Peter engaged Gemma in battle, tossing food at her from across the table, only for it to be blown off course onto someone else’s plate. Gemma had to admit, she loved every moment. This was what belonging felt like, and that was something she hadn’t felt in a long while, even well before her abduction.

The lovely meal ended all too soon, and Tony pulled Gemma aside. He led her back into his own private office space. “There are some things I want to show you before I give you full range of the Tower.”

Gemma raised a brow when he brought out a very tight looking catsuit. “Excuse me, what is this?”

“Your prototype suit. Try it on. I want to have a suit ready to go by the time you’re a full-fledged Avenger. I want to prep it to be the best it can be for you. We all have a uniform. You need one too.”

Gemma beamed and took the catsuit. She ran into the restroom to put it on. She came out, forcing a smile. “Tony, this is waaaay too tight. I’m already getting a wedgie. It needs to be more like Nat’s suit. I can’t move freely in this. Also it needs to be breathable so I don’t drown in my own puddle of sweat.”

“Keep talking, this is why I brought you here. Friday is taking notes.”

Gemma scoffed. “Also, I do like colors. Whatever colors look good together is what you should put together, I’m not picky. The material should be bulletproof and able to withstand all of my powers. Especially the fire. Wouldn’t want my clothes to burn off in battle.”

“Maybe YOU wouldn’t.”

Gemma gave him the finger. “Fire, ice, harsh elements, all of it. A cool head piece would be nice, but no helmets; helmet hair is stupid. I want to look as badass as possible.”

“Noted, Dr. Walker. ‘Badass’ is my middle name.”

“Really? I thought it was ‘Fuckboi’ or ‘Arrogant-Ass Millionaire’.”

“Cold-hearted bitch.”

“I learned from the best.” Gemma shrugged and gave Tony a hug. “Thank you.”

“What can I say? I’m just a good friend,” Tony chuckled.

“No, you’re just a rich friend.”

“There’s a difference?”

“Not for you, Tony. Not for you.”

The two laughed. Gemma changed back into her civilian clothing, and she let Tony give her the rundown of Stark Tower, her to-be-empty home. It was standard. Do’s and Don’ts. Don’t touch this, do whatever with that. The list wasn’t too long, thankfully, and the rundown ended before Gemma could complain about it.

Tony cracked his knuckles and sighed. “You know, Red, I’m going to miss having you around me all day. Your sass will be missed.”

“I’m not dying, Tony. I’m a phone call away. The Sass Master is available at all hours of the day or night.” Gemma winked.

Tony sniggered. “Sass Master, huh? That’s your codename then. Definitely going to miss that. Your brains too. I don’t hand out compliments lightly, but you were way too smart to be a retail pharmacist owning her own store. It would have been a waste of your talents. Someone like you belongs here, where you can broaden your reach to the world.”

“I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me, Stark. I’ll miss you too.” Gemma wrapped her arms around Tony for another hug. He reciprocated, holding her gently. “Take care of the team, alright?”

“You know I will, Red. I always do.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, I'm slowly catching up on the future chapters I lost when my computer updated! I'm taking my time to make them as good as possible for you all, so I apologize for the delays that I know are bound to come. This chapter, I added a little bit of a tribute to the Doctor Strange comics and some connection to Captain America: Civil War. Let me know if you guys catch it! I hope you enjoy! Thank you so much for reading! Let me know what you think in the comments, and don't forget to leave kudos!

The Avengers were gone by the time Gemma awoke the next morning. She moped around for most of the day, seeing as she hadn’t gotten much of a chance to say goodbye to the others. She wanted prolonged farewells and heartfelt sorrow, but she supposed this was more how it ought to be.

Life in the Tower without them was, to say the least, boring. Sure, Gemma had full run of the place, and she could blare her favorite music whenever she wanted, but it wasn’t the same. Friday was little company, doing nothing besides listing off training regiments and meal plans every day, all day, and designing her suit. On weekends, Peter showed up to train with her, but it always ended up as an AP Chemistry tutoring session instead. She was sad to find that her lab access expired when Bruce failed to give her the new access codes.

The most frustrating part of being alone was Gemma’s lack of progress in her training. Physically, she was in the best shape of her life, but reigning in her abilities was another challenge entirely. Minor tasks were second nature. She could control a small breeze to blow hair from her face, and she could use a small flame to fry a simulated opponent. It was the larger amount of effort and energy that went wrong. Taking on more than one person was near impossible. The newer the power, like conjuring gemstones, the worse the chaos was. If her emotions escaped her even for a millisecond, the whole Tower quaked, and lightning zapped throughout the rooms. Water remained the most difficult element for her to control. It sapped her energy if used for too long, which made the power bubbling inside her unstable. The instability had scared her on more than one occasion, and it haunted her dreams.

Gemma gasped for breath as she shot awake from yet another nightmare. They had started the night after everyone left. Her fists clutched at the sweat-soaked sheets tangled around her body. Dried tears crusted her cheeks, and her body trembled.

“Damn it…” Gemma cussed, reaching up to hold the aching scars on the nape of her neck. Her inhales shivered as the fragmented memories took their toll on her nerves. Gemma turned on the light to asses the damage. Her few belongings were knocked off the nightstand on her right, a crack appearing on the wall behind the dresser to her left. The glass wall, the one that overlooked New York, remained untouched, save the curtains that had clattered to the floor. Her sheets bore singe marks in the shapes of her fingers.

Gemma ran a sweaty hand through her tangled locks. “Friday, call Tony.”

“He’s busy at the moment, Dr. Walker.”

“I don’t care, call him now. I need to speak with him. It’s urgent.”

Friday obeyed and called the man. After the fourth ring, he answered.

“Red, look, I’m sorry, but right now isn’t a good time. I have some… complications that need dealt with.”

“Tony, I’m sorry, but it’s my powers. They are becoming increasingly uncontrollable. I don’t know what to do.”

Tony huffed. “Gemma, I can’t right now. I’ll call you later, okay?”

“Wait! Let me speak to Bruce, he can give me the new access codes to the lab so I can create some melatonin pills at least.” There was a long pause. “Hello? Tony? Please don’t tell me you hung up.”

“... Bruce can’t talk to you right now, Gemma.”

“What?! Why?!”

Tony sighed. “Our mission flipped sideways. Bruce changed into the Hulk. It went wrong. Everything happened at once, and he ended up on a quinjet in stealth-mode. I don’t know why or how, but he turned off communication, so Romanoff couldn’t do the calming routine. We don’t know where he is. He’s gone for all we know, dead. More people, innocent people, just died as well. This is why I didn’t want you to come. You aren’t prepared for this, and you would have lost control.”

“Oh my God… Bruce… Wh-What about Wanda? She’s supposed to be my mentor, right? I know it’s selfish, Tony, but I-”

“Gemma, she’s the one who killed most of those people. It wasn’t on purpose, but she’s still responsible.”

“Oh… what about Nat?” Gemma’s voice cracked.

“I told you, I don’t have time to talk. I have to deal with this, and I have no idea how.”

“I don’t either, Tony! I don’t know what to do! I can’t be alone anymore; it’s too dangerous! I don’t want to hurt people… I’m scared, Tony, please!” Gemma sobbed, fresh tears spilling. She sniffled and rubbed her eyes. “I’m constantly teetering on the edge of a power I can’t understand or control! It’s too much for me alone!”

Tony sighed. “Gemma, I’m sorry. I really am. Listen, I’ll send Peter over to check on you more often so you aren’t alone. I’ll even try to send Pepper occasionally. Email me if it gets any worse. I’ll update you on what happens over here.”

Gemma nodded before she realized Tony couldn’t see her. “Fine, it’s a deal. Please just keep in touch, alright? I know it’s a lot to handle, but I need help right now, and you know how much I hate needing help.”

Tony breathed a laugh. “I know, Red. Keep fighting and hanging in there.”

“I never stopped,” Gemma answered, a smile cracking through her tears. She hung up, hugging her knees to her chest. She rested her chin there and took deep breaths.

Time seemed to slow as she sat on her bed and waited for the Sun to peek its head out from behind the morning clouds. Moments like that made her remember what it felt like to be normal, each day running like clockwork. It also made her remember her childhood. Before the struggle and turmoil, the heartbreak and abuse, she had been happy. Happy, but oblivious to reality, living inside her own fantasy land. She remembered running through the cornfield in her home in Nebraska, hiding behind the old tractor barn until her daddy came and found her, only to tickle her to death. The times before the divorce had been much simpler.

“Dr. Walker, Mr. Parker is here,” Friday chimed in to break her trance.

Gemma lifted her head. “Thanks Friday. Just tell him I’ll be out once I get dressed.” She rose from the bed despite her reluctance to abandon the shelter it offered. She turned her back on the wall-sized window and changed into her latest suit prototype. It fit like a glove, accentuating her curves where it should. Black highlighted the purple of her suit by hugging her sides, and the fabric resembled the Black Widow suit. Gemma knotted her hair atop her head to finish the look.

“Peter? Where are you?” She called out as she walked through the Tower. She found him in the kitchen. “Figures you’d pig out on all my food.”

Peter smiled past his mouth full of Gemma’s cookie stash. “Sowwy,” he said sheepishly, struggling to keep the crumbs in his mouth.

Gemma made a face. “Don’t speak with your mouth full, Peter.”

Peter swallowed and laughed. “Is that another thing to add to the list of things that gross you out?”

“The list of things that gross me out?”

“Needles, Bruce told me that one, chewed food, and snot. That’s the list so far.”

“You forgot one thing that grosses me out.” Gemma smirked. Peter’s head tilted to the side, eyebrows scrunched. “You, Peter.”

Gemma cackled when Peter’s jaw dropped. He scoffed at her and shook his head. “You are so mean!”

“I know, I know, but you should have seen your face!” Gemma’s laughter slipped through her lips when she tried to suppress it. “You set me up perfectly for it!”

“I WILL get you back for that one.”

“Sure, sure. For now, let’s actually train for once.”

The two entered the training gym together and did some warm-ups. Peter changed into his Spider-Man suit. They decided that Gemma needed to work on basic self-defense with her powers. Peter shot a web into the ceiling and positioned himself to attack. This became the routine for the next several weeks. Peter ‘attacked’ Gemma, and Gemma used her powers to protect herself. She avoided risky elements like earth and water. Using earth could destabilize the entire Tower for all she knew, and water was the hardest for her to use for long periods of time without draining herself. Instead, she focused on fire and air and all that came with them. She would blast flames and lightning to keep Peter at bay, and she would whirl him away with a small tornado on a good day. She managed to prevent major incidents, excluding when she gave Peter a good burn to his arm.

The worst day was the day they decided that Gemma needed to practice offense. Having been so caught up in getting through his defenses, Gemma lost control of the energy loading her attack. 

Gemma waited for the perfect moment to strike, energy collecting in her hands and arms as she dodged Peter’s webs. She jumped to the side and feigned a punch to his gut. As he moved his arms for the block, Gemma’s energy exploded out from her with a deep boom. The Tower swayed, glass windows blown open. Water surged from a cracked pipe and washed Peter away. Gemma gasped and used all the control she had to push away the liquid and fish him out. Friday’s port smoked by the door. Peter coughed up some water and took off his mask with trembling hands. He flinched away from Gemma when she reached out to help. Gemma’s breath hitched, and she dashed from the gym. 

Gemma called Tony on the verge of tears. “Tony, I’m too dangerous… Peter’s just a kid. I don’t want him to end up hurt because I can’t control myself on the offensive!”

“Gemma, listen to me. I know you’re upset, but things are even shittier here. I can’t really deal with it right now. I can’t give you a full update yet, but… just lay low. Don’t use your powers if you can control yourself.”

Gemma tisked, trying to control her breathing. “Tony, what’s going on? You promised to keep me updated.”

“You want the truth? The Avengers are in shambles, and I’m not sure what’s going to happen. We are completely divided. So there. That’s what’s going on. All because of Cap refusing to accept the Accords because of his stupid friend,” Tony growled.

Gemma groaned. “Oh God Tony… I can’t believe this is happening… All because of one mission gone wrong? I know Steve’s old friend showed up, you told me that already, but is it really as bad as it sounds?”

“That’s mostly what started this, but it was a long time coming. We need something to set our boundaries, but some of us don’t get it. Cap, he doesn’t get it. It’s worse than it sounds. We can’t have powerful people like us running around with no way for the regular people to ensure their safety. We need to be controlled. We are too dangerous!”

Gemma bristled, but stayed quiet for a moment. “I’m sorry this is going on, Tony. I don’t know what to say. I wish I could help, but I have my own problems distracting me.” Gemma tapped her foot. “I hate to dump this on you, but I almost destroyed the Tower today. I can’t get control over larger bursts of my power. It’s like I’m repeating the day I escaped from that damn place. Barely-grasped control, overwhelming power, and imminent destruction.”

“Just sit tight. I need you to just sit tight and wait. I’ll come help you once all of this is cleared up,” Tony said.

“Tony… please give me more details. You’re not expecting me to sit here and do nothing, are you?”

“That’s exactly what I’m expecting you to do until I can handle it.”

“You mean handle me? Because it’s my powers that are the problem, Tony. I’m the situation that needs handled. I need professional help. Peter has done great, but I almost killed him today. I don’t want something like that on my shoulders because I will never forgive myself. There is no way he can do it alone. Hell knows even I can’t. There’s so much still I don’t know about my abilities. I need someone who can contain me if I lose it completely.” Gemma picked at the pocket on her combat uniform.

“Red, just give me time! I can’t do everything at once! I know you need help, but right now, you’re not my priority! Get off my ass about it!” Tony snapped.

Gemma chewed her lip and tried not to take it personally. She knew Tony was under monumental stress right now, but it was hard to be put on the back burners. “I guess I’ll talk to you later. Bye.” Gemma hung up and wiped her eyes. As if today couldn’t get any worse.

After a moment, Gemma stood and walked out to the common area, heading straight for the balcony. She leaned against the railing and looked down at the bustling city around her.

“You want some company?” Peter asked behind her, holding his mask in his hands. 

Gemma glanced back and nodded. They stood in silence as they looked out at New York City and the setting sun. A light breeze plucked some strands of Gemma’s hair from her ponytail. The strands tickled her cheeks. Gemma rubbed at the railing with her thumbs, soothed by the coolness of the metal.

“It’s gorgeous, isn’t it? The city just before sunset?” Gemma asked, still facing the view.

“Yeah,” Peter agreed.

Gemma cracked a small smile. “Most people would say it’s too loud, too smelly, too much something. That’s what I’ve always loved about the place,” she sighed. “It’s alive, always in motion, always moving forward, always pushing on. Silence and stillness are what’s scary. Nothing alive in that.” Peter didn’t say a word. He turned his head to look at the older woman. “That’s why I moved here. I needed the noise and action.”

“I don’t think you’ve ever talked about your past before,” Peter noted.

“There’s really not much to tell. My parents divorced after my sixth birthday, but they stayed together in our house for another excruciating five years. They wanted to do what was best for me, but they really only made it worse. They didn’t fight, they just pretended the other didn’t exist. They wouldn’t ever talk… it was always so painfully quiet.

“Then came the custody agreement, and my dad and I moved to Florida. He found another wife, so he ignored me instead. He wanted to give her the attention he neglected to give my mom, and my mom never wanted anything to do with me after Dad took me away. I came here to get away from the quiet. It’s much better to feel the life pulsing around you, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, it is.” Peter gave Gemma a weak smile. After a moment, he said, “Tony is pulling me out onto the field to help with a situation in Germany.”

Gemma let her eyes fall closed. “Good. I figured as much. It’s probably safer that way. I’m so sorry for today. I really didn’t mean to-”

“I know, Gemma. You’re still learning. I’m not mad. You’re part of the Avenger family, remember? If you’re worried about being blocked out and ignored, don’t be. You’re a part of us, and once this situation is handled, everything will go back to normal,” Peter interrupted, “I’ll never leave you behind, no matter what. You’re probably the only person here who has and will ever treat me like I belong. You didn’t treat me like a kid playing hero. You respected me from the beginning. Gemma, YOU are MY hero.” Peter pulled her into a hug.

Gemma swallowed the lump in her throat. “Peter… thank you,” she whispered. She clung to him for a few moments before pulling back. “For God’s sake, get ready. You need to be ready to kick Stark’s ass for me once you see him.”

“Yes, Mom,” Peter laughed, drawing a snort from Gemma. Peter walked back inside to get ready for his flight. Gemma stayed on the balcony and took one last look at the city she called her home. With all the bad that’s happened, she thought, maybe there’s so much more good that’s bound to come out of it.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm nearly caught up to where I was before! I'm doing some heavy editing to make this even better than it was originally! Still in the Captain America: Civil War timeline of things, no heavy spoilers for that that weren't already revealed in the previous chapter. It's a bit shorter than usual, but I'll try to have the next one up sooner (if it's short too) or extended longer. I hope you all enjoy!

The next afternoon, Gemma listed off things Peter would need. “Toothbrush? Shampoo? Spider-Man suit?”

“Yes, yes, and yes. I have everything, I swear. Even if I don’t have something, Mr. Stark will be bound to have it anyway.”

Gemma’s grin ran lopsided. “I suppose you have a point. Just be safe.”

“You too, Gem. We will all help you figure out how to control your powers once this is over. In the meantime, just practice defense. That’s most important anyway,” Peter instructed.

Her lips twitched. “Alright, get going. Go save the day, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.”

Peter beamed and waved as he climbed onto a quinjet.

“Peter, you forgot your mission file… again!” Someone yelled from behind them. Gemma turned to find Pepper Potts jogging in, a file in hand.

“I told you that you would forget something!” Gemma pointed an accusing finger at Peter. Peter blushed pink and ran down to retrieve the file. Pepper handed it to him with a light chuckle, and Peter scurried back onto the ship. The two women laughed at the teen.

“He’s a good kid, Peter,” Pepper murmured.

“He is. I worry about him,” Gemma admitted. “He’s like the little brother I never had.”

Pepper rested her hand on Gemma’s shoulder. “He’ll be okay. Tony will take good care of him. He may not act like it, but Tony cares about you all more than you’ll ever know.”

Gemma forced a small smile. “I guess so.”

Pepper gave a soft sigh, patting Gemma’s shoulder twice before she left to get back to her work. Gemma heaved a breath and watched as the quinjet took off. When it disappeared from view, she stood there, the lone figure facing the wide open city, the wind whistling through her hair. Gemma looked at around her at the roof of Stark Tower, the quinjet pad in front of her and the Iron Man landing strip behind her. 

Gemma turned to walk along the landing strip to the very edge. Her legs chilled, white noise surging through her blood. Every fiber of her being tingled, and her hands shook. The height itself held no power, but falling from that height set her heart shuddering. Whether by being pushed or by slipping or jumping, Gemma always could envision herself falling. The fear crackling through her reminded her that she was still, somehow, alive. She was alive, and she would carry on, the challenges she faced be damned.

“Wooooohoooo!” Gemma yelled with a grin, the cheer echoing across the afternoon bustle. She giggled and spread her arms out to feel energy in the air, eyes closed to soak in it.

Her heart jumped into her throat when she started falling; she swore it stopped beating altogether. Her eyes snapped open, but all she saw was black. Screams tore up her throat and left her breathless. A sudden light blinded her , and she cried out as she hit solid ground. She gasped for air, fingers clasping at their opposing shoulders. Her head whipped around. Deep oak floors and fixtures lined the room; daylight streamed in from a unique skylight above her. The scent of aged paper and books filled Gemma’s nose. A line formed between her brows.

“I’ve been ordered to babysit you while Stark and the other Avengers are away,” a familiar baritone voice droned behind her.

Gemma jumped and turned to see none other than the man she never thought she would encounter again, Doctor Stephen Strange. “Ste- Doctor Strange… what… where?” Her words failed her, her mind too occupied with the feel of her heart thudding against her ribs.

Stephen arched an eyebrow. “How articulate. Let me explain, Stark has asked me to watch over you while he is away, which is probably for the best seeing as you have no control over the powers you possess. I transferred you here via portal, which is the quickest and safest way. You’re welcome.”

Gemma’s nostrils flared, and her jaw clenched. She pushed herself to her feet and stalked towards the taller man. “I was on the top… of the Stark TOWER!” She roared. Her breaths surged in and out like a pissed bull.

The ex-surgeon’s head tilted to one side. “And that’s concerning because…?”

“I WAS ON THE FUCKING EDGE!” Gemma jabbed a shaking finger into his chest, the other hand balled into a fist by her side. “I THOUGHT I WAS FALLING TO MY DEATH!”

Doctor Strange rolled his eyes and whipped something out from behind him. He fastened them to Gemma’s wrists with a click. Gemma’s snarl ceased as she stared at her wrists.

“What are these?” She asked, ice in her voice. Silver cuffs held snug from her wrist to mid-forearm. Faint designs or runes engraved the metal.

“Special cuffs from the Ancient One’s collection. They will limit your power to the amount you can safely control. The more control you gain, the less these cuffs will restrict. They also give ME complete control over YOU. One misbehavior and…” He flicked his wrist. The cuffs hummed as they zipped together, binding Gemma’s wrists so she couldn’t move. She strained to pull them apart to no avail. Strange waved his hand again and released the cuffs.

“What the hell, Stephen?!” Gemma raised her voice.

“Ah, Miss Walker, I wouldn’t recommend-”

“Doctor!”

“… Excuse me?”

“My name is Doctor Walker to you.” Gemma lifted her chin. Stephen scoffed and went to say something, but Gemma cut him off. “No! Don’t you dare! If I am to respect you in such a way, you have to respect me as well. I’m a doctor, same as you. No, I’m not a neurosurgeon or anything else impressive to you, but I am a doctor through and through. If I have to call you Doctor Strange, then you will damn well call me Doctor Walker.”

“Now, Miss-”

“Doctor!”

“DOCTOR Walker, then. You are dismissed. Your room is up the stairs, down the left hall, and to the right, the last room before the library.” Strange turned his back to her.

Gemma huffed and turned to stomp halfway up the stairs. “You know, I’ve been trying to apologize to you since day one. I realize I treated you poorly, and I regret it, but every time I try to make it up to you, you become an asshole about it.”

Strange shook his head and kept walking, nearly at the doorway to another room.

“Am I really that easy to dismiss? As long as I’m cuffed and scolded like a child, I am nothing more than an errand from Stark?” Gemma glared at her new accessories.

Stephen paused. He glanced over his shoulder at the ginger woman. “You ARE a child compared to me… and you are not an errand so much as a favor,” he muttered.

“Oh, so an eleven-year age gap automatically makes me a child? Get over yourself. You’re the one treating a human being as a task that needs handled. If I’m a child, then you’re nothing more than infantile.”

Strange inhaled and turned to face her. “Dr. Walker, I believe your room awaits you.”

Gemma scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Just as ignorant as you were before.”

“You know nothing of before,” Stephen growled.

“I know you were arrogant and conceited. Self-centered. All the nurses talked about it. I was on the team creating a medication to help you, you know. And what did you do? You told us pharmacists to shove it up our asses. That we practiced a fake medicine.” Gemma crossed her arms over her chest. “And you haven’t changed. You gained powers only to be as much of a dick as before. Poor Christine…”

“Get out or your Avenger status is gone.”

Gemma raised a brow. “What?”

“GET. OUT!”

Gemma flinched and scurried up the stairs. She shook her head with a huff. “Welcome to the Sanctum Sanctorum,” she mumbled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments and kudos to let me know what you think! I love seeing my inbox full of them! Thank you so much for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I have a longer chapter for you all today (longer than some of the past ones anyway)! I have now solved the deletion problem of my old laptop, and I fixed it by getting a new one. I have my outlines for future chapters caught back up to where I was, and I am working on writing and editing to where I was as well. Nearly there! No spoilers this chapter! I hope you enjoy!

Gemma gave a final glare to her new cuffs before she decided to spend the rest of the day exploring her new home. Already, the lack of harsh and modernized surfaces was a welcome sight. The gentle wood was pleasant to the touch, and the scent of paper and oils relaxed her.

The place had the air of a place that has been in existence far, far longer than Gemma had. There was something else to it as well, something familiar, but Gemma couldn’t place her finger on it. Gemma climbed the remaining stairs, enjoying the faint creak of each floorboard.

Gemma admired the metalwork of the skylight above the grand staircase. She peered out at the city outside. Her eyebrows went up when she recognized the street she was on. It was the street just a block away from her own. She used to get tea from a cafe farther down this very street. Doctor Strange had been living right under her nose for God knows how long.

Pulling herself away from the skylight, she followed Strange’s instructions to find her room. She pressed the door open to find a very spacious quarters, a soft rug on the wood floor with a sizeable bed parallel to a window. While this window was smaller than the one in her room at the Tower, it was much more unusual. Circular and lined with similar metalwork as the staircase skylight, the window overlooked a scene not from New York at all. The ocean swirled outside, much to Gemma’s surprise. A reading nook rested below the window, concave and lined with pillows, a bookshelf integrated underneath.

A smile twitched on Gemma’s mouth. It was cute, the room. She could easily see herself enjoying her stay here amongst the books and window-scenery. Gemma found her clothes neatly folded and placed in the oak dresser by her bed. Her belongings appeared on the dresser and nightstand. Gemma’s eyes widened as the objects simply phased into existence.

“I’m so confused right now…” She picked up the small chest of jewelry that had been on her nightstand at Stark Tower. She studied it, finding it to be her exact one, and she set it back down. “Interesting…”

Gemma finished exploring her room and decided to see this library Stephen had mentioned before their argument. Grand doors guarded the library, the deep wood decorated in the same designs as those on her cuffs. Gemma pushed the doors open and gasped.

“Wow…” Shelves of books as high as the eye could see lined the walls, and ladders on wheels rested against them. A platform accompanied by a wrought iron spiral staircase provided access to the uppermost shelves. Gemma inhaled the scent of paper and ink. 

Moving to one of the piles of books on an island in the middle of the room, Gemma ran her fingers across the crackled spines of books older than she’d ever seen before. She lifted a few to study the covers, setting them aside for the next. These books were no ordinary books. The covers danced with color and light, the titles in a language she couldn’t read. She paused on one in particular to trace the emblems on the front.

“Astral Dimension. From the Ancient One’s special collection. An ambitious read, don’t you think?” A man popped out from behind the books in front of her.

Gemma fell back with a shriek. The pile of books swayed, and Gemma caught the few that fell. She set them on the floor and gazed at the portly Asian man. “Who are you?”

“My name is Wong. I protect the Sanctum and its library with my life. I am the only line of defense after the Sorcerer Supreme himself,” the man answered, walking around the island and extending a hand to her. Gemma took it, and Wong tugged her to her feet.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Wong. I’m Dr. Gemma Walker.”

“I have heard much about you, Dr. Walker. I understand you’ll be staying in the Sanctum with us until further notice?” Wong questioned, brow raised.

“Gemma, please. But yes, that is correct. I am to stay here to… to train and learn to control my powers. Under Doctor Strange’s instruction, I suppose” Gemma answered. “I do hope you won’t believe all the awful things Strange must say about me.”

Wong waved a hand. “Stephen is a stubborn one, too stubborn for his own good. I can tell what type of person you are without his input. We need someone like you around here. A woman’s touch, if you will, to warm the place up, breathe life back into it,” he said. “Besides, you’re no ordinary woman. He needs someone like you, equally as stubborn, to keep him in check,” Wong chuckled and bowed to Gemma, taking his leave.

Gemma grinned as the older man left. When she turned back to the stack of books, the book she had been admiring was gone. Her lips pursed. Where could it have gone? She hummed when the realization dawned on her; Wong had taken it. What was in that book that he didn’t want her reading?

“It’s just too complicated of a read for you yet,” Stephen said behind her.

Gemma jolted with a shrill cry, glaring at the sorcerer. “You! When did you… wait, you can read minds?” Her face paled.

Strange smirked. “Perhaps. Though it’s easier when the mind in question is speaking aloud to herself.”

Gemma cringed. “I was? Damn…” She shook her head at herself. “So what brings you out here so soon? I thought you were going to brood in your wizard cave until tomorrow morning.”

Strange rolled his eyes. “I heard what sounded like a scream. Turns out you were just meeting Wong, and I wasn’t needed after all.”

“I mean, you were a little late… don’t tell me you ran when you can create portals with a snap of your fingers?” Gemma put a hand on her hip. Her lips twitched at the deadpan expression Stephen gave her. “I’m surprised you’re talking to me after that outburst. I expected to be ignored for at least a day.”

“Ignoring you would be pointless if you were captured or killed,” Stephen said.

“Glad to know you care, Doc.”

Strange sighed and absently ran his gloved fingers over his trimmed facial hair. “I actually came to tell you to be ready for training early tomorrow morning. I feel that I am more capable in providing the help you need than Stark and his gadgets.”

“I’m glad. I need all the help I can get, even if I feel the cuffs are a bit much.” Gemma shrugged. “So, the book? Why can’t I read it again?”

Strange sighed again. “Get to bed, Dr. Walker. You have a long day tomorrow.”

“Oh, a bedtime now? Wonderful.” Gemma replaced the books in the stack. Tomorrow, she promised herself, she would pick out as many to read as she could.

“Goodnight, Walker.” Stephen said with emphasis, gliding out the room with his cloak trailing behind him.

“Goodnight, Strange,” Gemma murmured after him.

~~~

Stephen hadn’t been joking when he said that they had to be up bright and early. Gemma was finally in a deep sleep after weeks of nightmares when the ex-surgeon kicked her door open.

“Did you not set an alarm?! You are late, Dr. Walker!” He clapped his gloved hands. The sound echoed.

Gemma sat up far faster than she should have. The room spun as she tried to remember where she was. “Shit!” Her alarm hadn’t gone off. She threw off the sheets to stand at attention, dressed only in a black cami and short, pink pajama shorts. Her hair stood on end in tangled clumps.

Stephen took in her appearance and frowned. “Here.” He tossed her some robes similar to his own, but in a lighter shade of blue. “Change and meet me at the bottom of the stairs in ten minutes.” Strange turned on his heel and left. 

Gemma zipped into action and changed into the unfamiliar attire as she threw her hair up into a messy ponytail. Pieces of her hair fell out of the ponytail, but Gemma didn’t have time to worry about that. She checked herself one last time in the mirror, ignoring how unfashionable the robes appeared, and she ran down to meet her new mentor. She skidded to a halt and nearly tripped at his feet. She didn’t dare say a word. 

Stephen gave her a once-over and shook his head. “You didn’t tie your robes correctly at all,” he said. His gloved hand gestured for her to come closer. “Like this.” He undid the knot and tied it again, careful not to let the robes fall open. “There.”

Gemma’s eyes darted around the room as it changed from the base of the staircase to a sort of training facility. “Thanks,” she mumbled. Her eyes landed on his hands and the unfamiliar gloves covering them. They were an odd shade of mustard yellow, and it was distracting. She hoped he would take them off. The hands underneath, though scarred, were much more sightly and beautiful than those ugly-ass gloves could ever be. Gemma was so caught up in her thoughts, she didn’t notice Stephen talking.

The Sorcerer Supreme cleared his throat. “Dr. Walker, have you heard a word of what I’ve just said?”

Gemma blinked and smiled sheepishly. “Uhhh… maybe? You’re going to show me something, I assume?”

Strange frowned. “You weren’t paying attention at all. Listen up. First, I am going to give you a lesson in the martial arts I was taught at the Kamar Taj.”

“The Kamar Taj? Is that the ‘cult’ you had supposedly joined?”

Stephen’s frown deepened. “It’s not a cult; now be quiet and listen. Get into your fighting stance. We are going to spar, no powers. Not that you could use yours effectively yet anyway, what with those cuffs on you. Let’s learn control over the body and mind before we delve any further. Understand?”

“Yes, sir.” Gemma dropped into the stance Friday and Peter had showed her, her left foot and fist slightly in front of her right.

“Doctor,” Stephen corrected, standing in a similar stance. His body was relaxed and at ease, where Gemma was tense and ready to react. The man started stalking around her, Gemma turning to keep facing him. His cloak slipped from his shoulders and floated to the corner of the room. Gemma’s brows rose. Stephen took his chance to attack. He aimed a jab at her ribs, one which Gemma just barely managed to block as her focus returned. Strange swept her off her feet with an immediate kick.

“Oof!” Gemma grunted as her back hit the floor. Her sky-blue eyes narrowed. Not to be outdone, she jumped straight from her back to her feet to showcase the strength and agility she had gained from her training with Peter.

Strange nodded his approval as he swung another kick at her knees, but she was ready for it. She jumped over his leg, only to be hit with a fist to the temple. Gemma crashed to the floor in a bit of a daze. Stephen loomed over her. “You need to focus. You can’t single out one attack from the next. Your opponent will do all in his or her power to find a moment of weakness. You cannot allow them to find that weakness. Right now, you are too focused on one of my attacks to defend yourself against a simultaneous one or one immediately after.”

Gemma growled deep in her throat, holding her head. “That was a cheap shot for my first day training with this style!”

“No, it was a lesson. Learn from your mistakes here to save your life out there,” Stephen said.

Gemma stood and started attacking him, not giving him a chance to attack back. Stephen blocked every one of her blows with a bored look. Gemma huffed and punched at his face, but Strange simply leaned back out of reach. This only frustrated her more. She kicked at his torso, but Stephen caught her leg and tugged her off balance. “You’re too emotional. Calm down.”

“DON’T tell me to calm down!” Gemma snapped. If there was one surefire way to piss her off, it was to tell her to calm down. She ripped her ankle from his grasp and hopped to her feet. She unleashed a torrent of jabs and kicks with no success. Not a single attack landed.

“Dr. Walker, take a breath and LEARN! You’ve seen me fight this way now, you should already have started to see the weaknesses, started to mimic it to increase your own arsenal while eliminating weakness. You’re intelligent, so use that to your advantage,” Strange urged.

“HOW?!” Gemma paused. “I don’t know how! I’ve never had to actually fight before. I’ve trained, I’ve sparred, but I’ll never be able to do that, I’m not capable of it! I can’t even lay a single blow on you!” 

Strange took a step towards her. “It isn’t about landing a blow, it’s about learning the weaknesses of your enemy. You can do this. You did it when you escaped from the place that tortured you. You have to tap into that part of yourself again, the survival mindset. It’s all about your mental state. You need to unlock your survival instincts and control them. That’s what will lead to control over your combat skills and powers. That’s what will lead to landing a blow.”

“I can’t… I just can’t… I was about to die if I didn’t escape… I can’t do it again… I had my powers…”

“You can. Just try.”

Gemma huffed and swung another series of kicks at him. Tired of her failure, Stephen snatched her ankle and threw her. Gemma wheezed on impact.

“You. THREW ME! WHAT THE HELL?!”

“You aren’t listening to a thing I said. Concentrate!”

Gemma stood and ran at him. He blocked her angry fists and planted a blow in her gut.

“Dismissed, Dr. Walker.” Stephen stalked from the room to leave her to tend to her bumps and bruises.

Gemma clutched her stomach to catch her breath. “Fucker!” She screamed after him. She fell to her knees. “God, you just give me more reason to hate you every time!” Her cuffs glinted to taunt her with the control he had over her and her life. Rubbing her face, Gemma grumbled to herself.

“He is only trying to help, however harsh his methods may be,” Wong said as he entered.

“Really? Because that gut-punch had be convinced otherwise,” Gemma snarked.

Wong’s mouth twitched up in the corner. “You have a fighter’s spirit, you’ll bounce back. Stephen knows that too, so he knows you need a firmer hand to grow into the Avenger you want to be. For now, sit with me. Meditate.” He sat cross-legged on the ground, eyes closed.

Gemma scooted closer to the elderly man, folding her legs and straightening her spine. She let her eyes fall shut.

“Listen to my voice. Let it guide you into a meditative state,” Wong instructed, taking a deep inhale. “Silence your mind.”

Gemma followed his instruction. She focused on his voice as her mind drifted off. The shadow figure flashed behind her eyelids. Gemma cringed and focused on Wong again. The figure broke through and appeared.

“Obey me,” the figure hissed. Gemma gasped as pain shot through her scars. The figure chuckled darkly. “Don’t fight it, just obey.”

“NO!” Gemma’s muscles tensed. Her eyes snapped open. She laid on her back on the training room floor. Wong hovered over her.

“Gemma? What happened? Some of your powers started leaking through the cuffs’ hold… did you see something?” He asked.

Just then, Gemma noticed how her wrists were bound together by the cuffs. Stephen stood in the doorway, arms crossed. She thought about the vision she saw, and her brows furrowed. “I’m… not really sure. It was just overwhelming.”

Wong hummed and helped her stand. “We will have to keep an eye on this. It could reveal why your powers are so unstable.”

Gemma bit her lip. “Yeah, I guess,” she said. Something about the Shadow Man was too familiar. She just couldn’t place her finger on why.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments and kudos to let me know how I'm doing! Every one makes my day and motivates me to make this as good as I can for you guys!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, thanks for being so patient! Sorry this chapter is late, I wanted to post it earlier, but college started back up and my birthday came around, and I got distracted... oops! Anyway, here it is, so I hope you enjoy! Let me know with comments and kudos, I love them so much!

Gemma paced her room that night, mind racing too quickly for her to fall asleep. Her vision of the Shadow Man kept replaying in her mind. Just who was he? What did he want? Why was he trying to command her, control her? A shiver rolled down her spine. Too much of her had wanted to listen, and that was unacceptable.

“Fuck…” She ran her fingers through her tangled mass of hair. Closing her eyes, Gemma grounded her stance and breathed like Wong taught her. She let her mind focus on herself, and she reached out for the power surging inside her. She knew she had to confront her powers if she had any hope of taming them, especially if the Shadow Man was after them as well. The cuffs on her wrist, though a nuisance, would protect her from the full force of the chaos inside.

Gemma gasped when she reached it. The energy swirled around, just as beautiful as it was dangerous. “The most beautiful things often are the most deadly,” Gemma thought to herself. She could feel the restraint of the cuffs, straining to hold the energy inside her. The energy licked at the binding runes. Only wisps managed to bleed between the cracks. Gemma swallowed. She had a long way to go if she ever hoped to control all of her power, and she’d barely tapped the surface.

“Come to me,” Gemma found herself saying. The escaping tendrils darted to her faster than she had anticipated. Gemma fell back, gasping. Her eyes peeled back open. She had done it; she had connected with the bits of her power the cuffs allowed her to possess. Gemma knew she needed to practice, but she couldn’t do it here in her room. It would be too risky. Her eyes lit up as an idea hit her. She weaved through the dark Sanctum until she found the door to the training room from earlier. Wong had told her that this room was specially designed and charmed to contain whatever happened inside it. It would be the perfect place to practice.

Gemma cracked the door open and slipped inside. The tall wooden door fell shut with an echoed bang. Gemma cringed and tiptoed until she reached the ring she had trained. She stepped into the ring and took a breath to connect with her powers once more. Just as she was about to start, the door thumped. She cursed and jumped to hide behind the weapons rack. Just as she hid herself, Stephen came floating in. His cloak waved in the air, and his hands held shields.

“Who’s in here?” Stephen’s voice boomed through the room. Gemma tensed but stayed still. Stephen would be furious if he found her in there at this hour, and she did not want to get on his bad side again. Gemma covered her mouth with her hand to muffle her breathing. 

Stephen’s stormy eyes scanned the room to find the intruder. He could feel their presence in this very room. Taking a breath, Stephen flicked his hands to dissipate his shields. His cloak lifted from his shoulders to further search the room. He took a stance and practiced his forms to distract the intruder.

Gemma peeked between the weapons. Stephen’s long limbs flowed into each position, deadly and graceful, precise and smooth. It was quite amazing to watch. Stephen’s cloak ruined the moment when it wrapped around her ankle and yanked her up into the air. Gemma squawked and squirmed, but the cloak only enveloped her leg further. Weapons clattered to the ground to interrupt the silence of Stephen’s practice.

Stephen turned at the ruckus. He raised a brow. “Dr. Walker? What are you doing here at this hour? You should be sleeping.”

Gemma grinned and waved. “Uhh, I was sleepwalking?” She shrugged. Her face grew redder the longer she remained upside down, and her brain was beginning to throb.

Strange sighed and waved at his cloak to release her. It set her back on the ground, where Gemma breathed in relief.

“Now, the truth,” Stephen ordered as his cloak slid back onto his shoulders.

Gemma grimaced as she stood. “Fine… I wanted to exercise my power, and I thought this room would be the best place to do so.”

“That explains why you’re here, but not why you’re up.”

Gemma huffed. “Because I couldn’t sleep, not after… never mind.”

Stephen took a step closer. “After what? Your episode during meditation?”

“Yes,” Gemma admitted.

Strange took another step, leaning down to her height to look into her eyes. “What did you see?”

Gemma averted her gaze. “I’m not really sure. There was a man there that felt familiar, but I couldn’t see his face. I couldn’t see any of him at all, actually. He was made entirely of shadows. A Shadow Man,” she answered.

“Did this Shadow Man speak to you? What did he say? You were screaming ‘no’.”

“He,” Gemma swallowed, “he kept telling me to obey. I wouldn’t, and he punished me with pain all through my body before asking me again. I told him no before I woke up.”

Stephen’s brows furrowed as his eyes checked her over for injury. One of his gloved hands took her chin in his fingers and tilted her head around to check. “Where did he hurt you?” He sounded… almost… concerned.

“It’s fine, Doc, really-”

“Gemma,” Stephen said forcefully, “where did he hurt you?”

Gemma blinked at the use of her name. He hadn’t used it since they first met, before their fight. “M-my scars. All of them, especially the ones on the back of my neck.”

Stephen spun her around and lifted her hair to examine the marks. “They don’t look any different. Did you feel it in your corporeal self, or your mind’s self?”

“My what?” Gemma glanced over her shoulder to look at him.

“Your body. Did you feel it like this,” he tapped her shoulder, “or on the self you envisioned in your mind?”

Gemma paused to think. “My mind, I think. I don’t really know, it just hurt. Is there a difference between pain in my mind versus in my body? Isn’t all pain just responses from the brain?”

“No, not entirely. That’s what you’ve learned all your life, especially as a pharmacist. You consist of two bodies. Your worldly, physical one, and your soul, to put it in simple terms. Your body and your astral form.”

“My… astral form?” Gemma pursed her lips and turned around to face him.

“Yes. The astral form is-” Stephen was interrupted by a siren. It came from downstairs. Stephen’s eyes widened. He grabbed Gemma’s hand and tugged her along. “Quickly!”

“What?! What’s going on?” Gemma yelled over the noise of the siren.

“That’s the siren from the London Sanctum. They are trouble and require our assistance. Are you able to help me?” Stephen stopped in front of the doors.

“Um, I think? I don’t even know how to control my powers yet with these things!” Gemma held up her cuffs.

“Perfect time to learn then.” Stephen stepped away and pulled open the doors.

“Oh okay… wait, WHAT?!” Gemma cried as she was tugged through to the London Sanctum. Immediately she could tell something was wrong. Nothing looked out of place, but the air tingled with energy strong enough to raise the hair on her arms.

“Stay close, stay quiet, stay focused,” Stephen commanded as the cloak lifted him off the ground and carried him ahead.

Gemma nodded and took deep breaths to keep calm. She reached for her powers, but her nerves were too shaky for her to search for them properly. Her hands trembled, and she swore her heart was going to give her away with how loudly it thumped against her sternum.

The London Sanctum was much like the one in New York, but more suited for London. The woodwork was more classical than anything she had ever seen, and the artifacts through the room were even older than the ones she had glimpsed in the New York collection. These artifacts included knight’s armor covered in runes, and medieval swords shining like they were recently forged.

The farther forward they crept, the stronger Gemma’s sense of danger became. Her breath clouded in the air, as did Stephen’s.

“Strange? What’s going on? There’s no one here, but something doesn’t feel right.”

“I agree… wait here and guard my body,” Stephen said.

“Guard your body?” Gemma watched as Stephen went limp. His cloak fluttered up and off to rest on her shoulders, wrapping around as though protecting her. “What the fuck is going on?” She mumbled as she crouched down next to Stephen’s unmoving form. She studied his face, and its stillness made ice skewer her chest. She brushed a stray strand of his hair back with the others. Pulling her lingering hand away, Gemma glanced around. She jumped with a gasp when something clattered further into the London Sanctum.

“Who’s there?” Gemma growled, falling into a fighting stance. The cloak tugged at her right side to divert her attention to a wooden staff on the wall. Gemma smiled as she plucked it from its place and gave it a twirl… and dropped it. “Shit…” she cussed. She picked the staff back up and gripped it so hard, her knuckles turned white.

A nearby vase tipped off its display and shattered on the floor. Black and blue swirled and took shape into an ugly creature with yellow, razor-like teeth and red eyes with slits for pupils. Those hideous eyes fixed right on Stephen’s body, and the creature licked its lips. Its thick muscles coiled, and it pounced.

“Oh no you don’t!” Gemma swung the staff like a baseball bat and cracked the creature upside the head. It howled and turned to Gemma with a growl. Gemma bit her lip and wound up another swing. When the creature lashed at her with a clawed paw, Gemma swung as hard as she could. The staff shot a blade out at the last second, ripping the paw from bone and sinew. Blood like thick black tar splattered over Gemma and Stephen. Just then, Stephen gasped to life, grabbing the attention of the angered creature.

“Look out!” Gemma jumped in front of him, staff pointed out, as the creature lunged. The blade in the staff shot out the front, skewering the creature as it landed on Gemma and knocked her back onto Strange.

The creature whined and went limp above them, only help up by the staff propped against the floor. Gemma groaned, being squished between Stephen and the partial weight of the massive creature. “Strange… a little help please!” She gritted out.

“I can’t, you’re on my arms,” Stephen ground back, barely able to breathe with Gemma’s elbows in his ribs.

“Can’t you use your feet? Your mind? Something? It’s too heavy!”

“I might be able to help, but you need to do it, Gemma. Focus on what power you have available and get it off. Just stay calm and focus,” Stephen urged, going limp once more.

“Doc? Doctor! Doctor Strange?!” Gemma tried to twist and see what was the matter, but the creature slipped down the staff and pinned her further. She panted and tried to squirm, but she didn’t move an inch. She pushed against the creature, but nothing happened. She whimpered softly. 

“Gemma!” Stephen appeared midair, causing her to shriek.

“Damn it, Strange! Don’t do that!” Gemma snapped.

Stephen rolled his eyes. “Lift your back. The cloak can help give you a few spare inches to calm your mind and focus. Like Wong taught you. Just meditate and reach for the power.”

Gemma nodded and did what he said. The Cloak of Levitation shot from her shoulders to wrap around the beast’s back paws and lift them up as far as possible. Stephen floated up as well to hold the beast up by the scruff of its neck. Gemma licked her lip and swallowed. Her bright blue eyes fell closed as she focused in on the power she had found earlier. Quicker than before, she found it and connected to it.

“Focus,” Stephen reminded.

Pressing her hands flat to the creature’s chest, Gemma unleashed a blast of power. A forceful wind pushed the creature up farther.

“More! You can do it!” Stephen encouraged.

Gemma furrowed her brows and pushed harder with her power. The gust of wind grew and flopped the dead creature off and to the side, freeing Gemma and Strange’s body. Gemma cheered in victory and jumped to her feet. Stephen hid his soft, proud smile from her by turning his back to return to his body and retrieve his cloak. His body awakened and the cloak flew back to rest on his shoulders.

“Okay, Strange, I have about one million questions right now. First, what was that thing? Second, what were you doing that I had to guard your body? Third, what the hell is going on? There’s no one here!”

Stephen sighed. “That creature was from another dimension. It was summoned here by the ones attacking this Sanctum. I was in my astral form to find where I was needed. I’ll explain more details later. Right now the London Sanctum is under attack by an open portal in the library. I need your help to get there and close it before more of these things come through. The other people are there trying to hold it closed, but they are losing the battle.”

Gemma blinked at the onslaught of information. “Let me guess, we are the last hope for protecting this Sanctum?”

“More or less, yes.” Stephen nodded.

Gemma took a moment to turn and yank the staff out of the creature, flicking it to get as much tar-like blood off as possible. She gave Stephen a smirk. “Then let’s kick some interdimensional ass.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up to my lovely readers, my updates may slow down a bit since I am duel-enrolled in 2 separate colleges now (22 credits... help me...). I will keep up with this fic for sure, but I don't know how often I'll be able to post with homework and studying and all that. Hope you enjoyed, and I'm so sorry for further delay!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back everyone! I'm sorry for the large gap between chapter postings, but I have been so busy lately with school and work, I haven't had much time to write (which is making me really sad). I'm working on the next chapter now, but it will probably take a long time, depending on my schedule. To fill the void, I think I might do a question and answer segment where I answer any questions you all have about me or my story, characters, writing process, anything is fair game for the most part. I'll answer as many as I can and post them as the next "chapter" for you all. Ask me questions in the comments if you want to participate! I love seeing my inbox full of comments and kudos, so don't be afraid to write anything that comes to mind! Thank you all for reading so far!

Gemma followed Stephen through the corridors to the library of the London Sanctum. Nothing could have ever prepared her for what she saw. The five protectors of the Sanctum stood around a smokey, purple hurricane in the center of the room, magic flowing to stop the portal from growing. A few trainees fought the two creatures that slipped through the portal as best they could.

“Walker, go help the trainees! I need to close the portal with the masters!” Stephen ordered. Gemma gave a nod and ran off.

“Duck!” Gemma yelled to the trainees. When they had lowered to the ground, she whipped her right arm around her body like she was throwing a discus. Air propelled the creatures into the wall, cracking the wood. Gemma grinned at the amount of power she had controlled, but she didn’t have time to celebrate. She gripped the staff like a baseball bat again and ran at the dazed monsters.

“Who is she?” A London trainee muttered. 

Another trainee shrugged. “Master Strange’s apprentice, I suppose.”

“Very crude how she swings the Staff of Blades….”

“You can tell she’s an American.”

“This American isn’t deaf, you know,” Gemma sassed as she swung and downed the last creature, putting her hips into the finishing blow. The trainees stared wide-eyed as she took care of the creatures in minutes.

Gemma turned her attention to Stephen and the other sorcery masters. Out of the angry clouds of purple lightning and smoke oozed the same tar-like blood of the creatures. It pooled onto the floor and pulsed as though trying to jump start itself. Gemma felt what was about to happen, but she opened her mouth to warn them all too late.

A wave of pure energy blasted everyone off their feet. Gemma slammed into the wall hard enough to lose her breath, her vision darkening for a moment after her head cracked back. Red trickled down her temple and chin. Her eyes found Stephen sprawled lifelessly across the room.

“Strange!” Gemma staggered to her feet and hobbled toward him. She would have made it if a chill hadn’t have run down her spine. She turned her head to the collapsed portal to see the ooze taking human shape. A hand outstretched itself in her direction. “AHHH!” Gemma tensed and fell to the ground as her scars seared like hot coals. She clenched her eyes shut as she fought the urge to cry out. 

When she opened them again, the ooze was in front of her, thickening into an obsidian human mass.

“Obey me,” the figure said in the same voice as the Shadow Man.

Gemma shook at the words. “N-No… never,” she snarled. The Shadow Man clenched his fist, and Gemma screamed. Her nails clawed at the scars on the back of her neck as she writhed like prey caught in the grasp of a constrictor snake.

“I. Said. OBEY!” The Shadow Man bellowed.

The pharmacist twitched, then stilled altogether.

“Dr. Walker?!” Stephen pushed himself to his feet as he came to. His eyes bored into the Shadow Man with unadulterated fury. “What did you do to her?!” He demanded, taking purposeful steps forward, whip at the ready.

If the Shadow Man had a face, he would have smirked. “Me? I didn’t do anything. I simply… convinced her. It’s HER that you’ll have to worry about. Isn’t that right, Gemma dear?”

Gemma rose to her feet, eyes demonic black. She lifted an arm and flicked her wrist, sending the Staff of Blades hurtling at Stephen. Each blade of the staff stuck out like porcupine quills.

The older man’s eyes widened, and he deflected the weapon just in time for it to scrape his cheek. “Dr. Walker? Dr. Walker! Come now, it’s me! The Shadow Man is tainting your mind! Fight it!”

“He’s tainting my mind? What about you, Doctor Strange? Do you forget all the times you’ve tainted my mind? Don’t think I don’t know your ill intents. You acted the part of a kind man helping the damsel in distress to gain my trust so I would be an easier threat to neutralize. Is that not true?” Her voice droned with vibrations of energy that send shivers down Stephen’s spine.

“Not entirely, no,” Strange argued.

“But you reveal your intentions were not entirely pure! You care for no one, Strange, even after all your trials and tribulation.” Gemma sent a gust his way, knocking him back a few feet.

“That’s not true! I did care! I couldn’t be too careful with someone I didn’t know either! Dr. Walker, this isn’t the point! He’s affecting your mind, making you turn against me! You know who the good guys are! Fight for us!”

Gemma laughed, cold and harsh. “Oh Doctor… you still haven’t learned. People aren’t toys you can play with and throw away when you get bored or feel rejected or threatened by these things called emotions, and you can’t expect them to come running at your beck and call. You should have known, especially after Christine.”

“How do you-” Stephen’s eye twitched, and his face darkened. “Dr. Walker, please! You must fight his power before it's too late!”

“Still with the ‘Dr. Walker’. All I am and ever will be is an asset to you!” Gemma blasted him back again. Baby flames licked her skin, but the cuffs prevented her from accessing anymore. “An asset and a prisoner, bound with these chains!” She shook her wrists to showcase her flashing cuffs.

Stephen’s brows rose. That’s right! He had nearly forgotten! He snapped his fingers, and the cuffs obeyed, zipping together to bind Gemma’s hands.

Gemma scoffed. “Underestimating me, Doctor!” She taunted, “It seems…” Her face spasmed. “N-NO!” She jerked as her real self fought the Shadow Man for control. 

“You. Are. MINE!” The Shadow Man yelled as he forced her to send a sharp piece of broken furniture right into Stephen’s side.

The sight of Strange groaning in pain as blood stained his uniform broke the trance.

“Stephen!” Gemma choked. Her eyes watered at what she had done.

The Shadow Man only chuckled. “My work is done for now. Ta-ta! Until next time, my destructive darling!” He disappeared like he never was there.

Gemma charged the spot he had been, but she fell over nothing. Her attention returned to Stephen. “Strange!” She used a gust of wind to propel herself to his side.

“Walker… you’re back… you won…” Stephen muttered, voice more gravelly than usual.

“Shhh, don’t talk. Just stay with me, okay? Damn it, Stephen, why didn’t you jump out of the way!”

Stephen snorted. “Takes more than a piece of wood to kill the Sorcerer Supreme. Besides, I’ve been stabbed before, and with a more dangerous weapon.”

Gemma took a look at the others, but the masters and trainees were still out cold. Her hands wavered around Stephen’s wound. “I’m so sorry this happened, I-”

“It’s not your fault. That was the Shadow Man you saw in your vision, wasn’t it? He controlled you. It’s not your fault,” Stephen assured.

“But it is. I did this to you; I hurt you. I didn’t mean-”

“Dr. Walker!” Strange interrupted, “I know already. Calm down. You did great.”

Gemma’s eyes narrowed. “You know telling me I did great isn’t going to mask that ‘calm down’ I heard? If you’re going to train me, you need to know that only pisses me off.”

Stephen smirked. “An all too easy thing to do.” Gemma punched his arm, to which Stephen groaned. “I still have this furniture stabbing me, mind you!”

“I’m so sorry! How am I going to get it out without you bleeding to death?”

“Looks like you, Dr. Walker, are about to take a crash course in Surgery 101,” Stephen said.

“You’re joking, right?”

Stephen only raised his brows.

“Shit, okay… I guess I should examine the area,” Gemma mumbled, placing her hands beside the wooden post. A shot of energy bounced out at her, and she flinched off. “Did you do that on purpose?” She glared.

Strange looked confused. “What do you mean?”

“The energy pulse. I felt it, coming from… holy shit!”

“What? What is it?”

“I think… I think I’m feeling the energy from the raw elements in your body! Make me a pair of magic scissors or something!” Gemma rambled in hurry.

“Excuse me?”

“Hurry, Strange! Something to cut away your robes!”

Stephen opened his mouth to retort, but Gemma was faster. “Doctor Stephen Strange,” Gemma growled, “now is no time for teasing my choice of words. We can do that after you’re not a human skewer. Now, get me something to cut off these robes!”

Stephen sighed and did as she requested, using his fading strength to create a sparkling blade. He placed it in her awaiting hand. Gemma swiftly cut his robes off around the wound, careful not to knick the skin underneath. She placed her hands on his bare skin, swallowing at the warmth he emitted. She felt around with her mind for the source of the energy. When she found it, she zeroed in on it and tugged. 

Strange let out a agonized gasp. “DON’T do that! Don’t! Not again. Never again,” he panted.

Gemma examined his wound for any changes. Her eyes darkened at what she saw. A significant amount of blood had poured from under the wood to soak Strange’s side. “Strange, I’m so sorry… I thought… I can’t…” Her voice faltered.

“Deeps breaths, Dr. Walker. What was that?”

“I think… I think I was pulling on the water present in your blood. I don’t know how, considering I could never control water that well, but I’m sure that’s what it was. It felt… dark, evil. I can’t do that again; it felt too unnatural.”

“Walker, listen to me,” Stephen ordered. Her eyes slipped to his, surprisingly soft despite what she had just done. “Don’t pull, but hold it in. Hold the blood in so you can take the wooden stake out and get me back to the Sanctum. Wong will know what to do, and he can help you. All you need to do right now is face your fear. You can control water; I’m sure of it. Look at how far you’ve come with your powers today! You’ll be a master before you know it.”

Gemma inhaled deeply. “You know, as much of an ass as you are, you’re really good at motivational speeches. Or maybe it’s manipulation. Who knows…” She placed a hand beside the wound again and focused on holding the floodgates inside Stephen’s wound. “Get ready!” She warned. Without hesitation, she yanked the wood out and tossed it to place both hands on the wound.

Stephen gritted his teeth at the odd sensation coupled with the pain. “Whatever you do, don’t let go of the blood as I make a portal. I would really prefer not to die today,” he quipped.

“Yeah, yeah, I heard you.” Gemma winked. She clung to Stephen’s side and braced herself for transport. Stephen made the portal and took them straight to the library, where Wong sat with a pile of books and his reading light.

As soon as Wong saw them, he dropped what he was doing and dashed over. “What happened?” he asked, more a demand than a question. He clapped his hands to illuminate the room.

Gemma glanced at Strange, but he shook his head. “Later, Wong. Right now, the only reason I’m not dead is because Dr. Walker is holding the blood back.”

“How-”

“Again, later. Just please help her get me back into one piece.”

Wong let out a breath and nodded. Chanting softly, he moved his hands to make glittering orbs appear in his palms. He moved around Gemma to hold the orbs over the wound. Gemma watched the vibrant, fiery strands imbed in his skin and knit everything back together, stitch by stitch. The process distracted her for a moment before she remembered to hold the blood back in. Stephen made a soft noise of discomfort. The wound was nearly healed when Wong stopped.

“It should heal itself from here.”

“Why? Can’t you finish healing it?” Gemma asked.

“Stephen needs a reminder of what never to do again.” Wong nodded, dusted his hands, and returned to his work.

“It’ll still bleed if I let go,” Gemma said.

“Go ahead. You can patch me up from here. Wong likes to practice a bit of tough love every now and then.” Stephen sat up slowly. He tried not to wince too much.

Gemma noticed. “Who knew the Master of the Mystic Arts was such a baby when it came to a little pain,” she joked.

Stephen shot her a glare. “Here I was about to compliment you and thank you for assisting me, but you’ve gone and ruined that.”

“Hardly!” Gemma scoffed. “There isn’t a complimenting bone in your body, Strange.”

“Guess you’ll never know now,” Strange matched her sass.

“Oh, really? Then what were you going to compliment me on?”

“I was going to say you have a mean swing. Not how you’re supposed to handle that weapon, but it was effective enough,” he said.

Gemma shrugged. “I played softball all throughout my life. You have to have good mechanics to be a homerun hitter.” She smiled, spine straightening and eyes gleaming.

“My, my, an athlete? It’s like I don’t even know you.”

“Because you don’t.” A hard look returned to Gemma’s features. “What’s all this kindness all of a sudden? You said… I remember what happened while the Shadow Man was controlling me. What I said… it wasn’t entirely his words. The basis was mine. You never took time to get to know me. You acted kind when I was hurt, but I now see that it wasn’t with the best intentions. You wanted to analyze me as a potential threat.”

“But-”

“No, let me speak. It’s the first time I’ve really been able to get a word in without us arguing. You used me, Strange. You used me just as you use others. You can’t do that. People aren’t potential threats or allies. They are people first, and until they prove otherwise, you need to treat them with compassion. No hidden motives, just pure and honest kindness. That’s how you get to know who people really are.”

Stephen was silent for a long time before he spoke in a muted tone. “I realize that. It’s an old habit, I suppose, one I need to break before it’s too late.”

Gemma nodded. “Good. In that case, do you think we could… start over? Throwing all these doctor titles around is really getting old. I’d rather just call you Strange… or Stephen, if that’s alright?”

Strange cracked a small smile. “Yes, Stephen is fine.”

Gemma returned the grin. “Good! In that case, you can call me Gemma again.” She stuck out her hand. “Here’s to a whole new beginning, Strange.”

Stephen slipped his gloved hand into hers for a firm shake. “It’s Stephen, now.”

Gemma raised a brow, a playful curve to her lips. “They both mean the same thing to me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget to comment any questions for the question/answer segment! This story is also posted on Wattpad on my TheAnimeNerd17 account, so if you want to check it out there, please do! I entered it in the 2018 Watty's in hopes of winning something for fanfiction. Thank you all so much!


	12. Author's Note

For the next chapter, I am going to be doing a question and answer section to bridge the time it takes me to write another chapter (since my life is hell right now XD). You guys can ask me basically any questions you have about me, my story or stories, my interests, my writing process, character creation, anything! I'm pretty open, and I'll answer all of them if I can! Just leave a question in the comments, or even just let me know what you think of my story so far! I'm excited to see what you all have to say. Until next time, Thank you all so much!


	13. Questions and Answers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all of those who asked questions! I really enjoyed reading and answering them! I appreciate the feedback and support. I hope to have the new chapter out here soon, but feel free to continue asking in the meantime. Love you all! Thanks for reading! Enjoy!

**Frodo:** _Love this! And yay, I'm the first question comment! My question is this: how did you come up for the idea for this story?_

  
  


Hello Frodo, and thank you so much for being the first comment!  The way I came up with the idea for “Tempest” is complicated… I was actually going to make a BBC Sherlock OC insert, but a dream I had about Doctor Strange actually changed my mind.  Both were Benedict Cumberbatch, so it wasn’t all too hard to swap the storyline a bit. Thus, “Tempest” was born!

  
  


**Cathain_Baldwin:** _ Not a question but I just wanted to send well wishes as you clearly battle real life, it’s insane that you are carrying such a huge academic pressure!   _

_ I really hope you’re studying creative writing or at least have the ambition to write, I for one wouldn’t hesitate to buy a book you authored! Tempest is just an example, but the way you control these well known characters accurately while introducing an OC who has just as much depth and development as the “famous” characters. _

_ Thank you for this fic! As for a question, what made you choose Strange as the hero of the fic and is it possible in the future you may take on other MCU characters? _

  
  


Cathain_Baldwin, your comment nearly made me cry, it made me so happy!  It was probably one of my favorite comments of all time; it came at just the right time to brighten a sucky day!  Thank you so much for the well-wishes! Things are going well so far. As far as studying creative writing, I wish that were possible, but with all I have to do, I can’t.  I take many creative writing electives, though, to keep learning about my passion. I love writing so much, and I’m so glad you’ll read a book that I write! I actually have some ideas for a novel on the backburner right now, so I can update you on here if I ever start one and post it somewhere (or if I get published, which would be a dream come true!).

 

As for your question, I chose Strange mostly because the nature of the dream I had.  I still wanted Benedict Cumberbatch (he’s amazing, after all), but the dream I had was too “fantasy” to fit into my original BBC Sherlock idea.  Doctor Strange fit nicely into that dynamic. Not to mention to lack of Doctor Strange fanfics out there! I would definitely consider other MCU characters once I finish this fic.  I need to finish this one first so I don’t distract myself too much from either one. If you have any future fic requests or ideas, though, please feel free to let me know, and I’ll see what I can do!

  
  


Unnamed:  _ LOVE THIS FIC!!! Love Strange. I’m obsessed with abuse recovery fics and this one is GOOD! I’m really happy you wrote Gemma in because I never see fics with her and I love her!!! _

_ Really like how she’s scared of needles! Can you do something with her and Strange about that? Some med stuff and needle fear with Strange? :) _

_ My question is why Gemma and Strange? It’s such a unique pairing, do you plan on doing more with it in the future? _

  
  


Thank you so much!  Actually I have a question for you: is there a Gemma in another fandom that I don't know about?  If so, I'm super intrigued! My Gemma is completely OC, so any similarities she has to another Gemma is completely coincidental.  I based her a lot off of myself (which explains the fear of needles… I hate them with a passion), so I’m surprised to hear there's another similar Gemma!  I will definitely include more medical/pharmaceutical things in future chapters, and the needle fear will come up again! I know this isn’t going to exactly answer your question since my Gemma is an OC (sorry!), but I’m not exactly sure if I will make sequels to this fic or keep using my OC with Strange or not.  I’ll have to see where inspiration takes me! Thank you for reading, and I hope you still enjoy the fic even though my Gemma wasn’t the one you were thinking of!

 

**Nobody:** _Really good fic! Great attention to detail, wonderful OCs!_

_ My question: how did you come up with your OCs? (Gemma, Shadow Man, George, the old people, and Ryan, etc.)? Did something specific inspire them or did you just come up with them on the fly? _

  
  


I actually used real people in my life to form the basis of my OCs.  I based Gemma off of myself. 

The fear of heights, needles, the hatred for the yellow gloves Doctor Strange wears (sorry Marvel), most of Gemma’s flaws are flaws of my own.  Again with my fears, The Shadow Man and his controlling powers was based off of my own fear for being in control. I don’t like to not be in control of a situation (I know, control freak lol), so I made the Shadow Man manifest those fears.  George and the Holts (the old people) were loosely based off of my people I know. Gemma’s ex-boyfriend Ryan owes everything (his name, his attitude, everything) to my own ex-boyfriend. I may or may not be a tad petty, but I felt that writing his name in as the “terrible boyfriend everyone hates” would be proper and passive aggressive revenge for all the emotional manipulation I went through as a result of that relationship.  Like I said, petty… but very worth it ;)  


  
  


**Munchkin:** _what fando_ _ms do you like besides marvel and will you or do you write fics for them?_

 

I like a LOT of fandoms besides Marvel.  Marvel is one of my favorites. I also enjoy Harry Potter, BBC Sherlock, The Walking Dead, Disney, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Mortal Instruments, the list goes on.  There are also several anime that I like, such as Death Note, Attack on Titan, Psycho Pass, Ouran Highschool Host Club, Hetalia, etc. I have several Attack on Titan fics on my page, but I actually only wrote one fic (Vengeance) and one poem (I Know).  I had a friend from high school that used my page until she got her own. She wrote the others, and I was kind of like her beta. We unfortunately went our separate ways after high school, but I haven't had the heart to take down any of her work, as I feel connected to it.  Sentimental, I know. Now, I'm taking over my page completely, all works from this point on are my own, the real TheAnimeNerd17. To finish answering your question, I will definitely write for other fandoms, and I take requests! Feel free to request anything in future comments!

  
  


**anon:** _can we see more medical between them? some Dr. Strange action??? :)_

 

Absolutely!  I plan on writing more, I promise.  Medical stuff, maybe some fluff, possible romance, drama, action… who knows what I have in store? ;)

  
  
  


**Teresa Smith:** _This fic is so good! You have a very creative style! I love it! I love how you portray all the characters! Also, I enjoy the medical detail. Are you a medical student? Is that why you have so much academic stress right now? Thank you for writing and I hope you return soon with less stress!_

 

Thank you, I'm so glad you like it!  I'm actually headed to pharmacy school next year, that's why I have so much school work now.  BUT I get to shave off 2-3 years of schooling by doing this. I'm glad you enjoyed the medical detail, my hours of watching medical TV shows and YouTube videos have finally paid off! XD  


 

**Bribro:** _This is pretty good! A little OOC for my taste, but it's not the worst I've read. Some minor typos, but I appreciate the overall good grammar. My question will be: how do you go about editing your work (especially as it seems to take so long)?_

 

I'm glad you like this fic, Bribro! I'm sorry if the characters are too OOC, I'm trying my best to hold them true to character and how I interpret them. My editing process is a lot of rereading and rewriting. I usually write a chapter and come back to it later to correct as much grammar as I can. I then work out any plot changes I want, or I rewrite the entire chapter completely. It all depends what feels right for my story, and I do it all myself, so it takes awhile (since I'm rarely free to write).


	14. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I finally finished a chapter! It took longer than I wanted, but what can you do when school calls (and so does the flu... whoops)? Anyway, here's a chapter for you all! No spoilers or anything, mostly just plot building. I hope you enjoy, and let me know if there are any mistakes. I didn't edit this as much as I usually do because I was too eager to post. Thank you all!

Once the blood clotted well enough for now, Strange as patched up as much as he could be, Gemma decided to take him to rest in his room.

“That stings!” Stephen whined as he slung a long arm over Gemma’s shoulders.

Gemma narrowed her eyes. “Seriously! Now you complain? After you’re all fixed up? Not when you nearly bleed to death, but afterwards?”

Stephen pressed his lips together and stayed quiet. Gemma slipped her arm around his waist and held his wrist for support. She cringed at the yellow gloves still on his hands.

“Stephen, can you take these off? They’re the most hideous color yellow, and they bother me. They make it hard to hold you up,” she said. She hoped he didn’t notice her exaggeration, but seriously, those tacky pieces of leather needed to return to the sector of Hell they came from.

Stephen hesitated before giving a nod. “Alright… just don’t stare.”

Gemma paused. “Why would I do that? They’re just scars. I have them all over my body. You’ve seen. Besides, chicks dig scars. Christine loves them, I’m-”

Stephen cringed and stared hard at the ground. “Can you stop mentioning her, please?”

Gemma blinked. She sighed and flicked the gloves from his hands to enjoy the plushness of his skin. Scars or not, he had some of the nicest hands Gemma had ever seen. Nice long fingers, palms to make her hands feel small. Somehow, she helped him to his room without tearing the healed flesh open.

“Stand still,” she instructed once they entered. She stood in front of him and began loosening his robes, but she paused when he tensed. The Cloak of Levitation lifted to hover, ready to protect its master.

“What are you doing?” Stephen rested his shaky hands on the cuffs on her wrists.

She lifted her eyes to his and studied the way fringes of his hair tried to block his intense gaze. “This was my fault,” she answered, “so it’s my duty to make sure you heal properly. We doctors take oaths, do we not?” Her eyes reverted to her task of untying the top portion of his ruined robes, decorated with a giant hole and an abundance of crusted blood. Stephen didn’t stop her again; he dropped his arms to his sides. Gemma finally loosened the upper knot and worked her way down. Preparing herself for skin exposure, she squinted as she pushed the robes from his shoulders, the Cloak of Levitation whisking them away. Her brows raised at the tunic that was hidden beneath his outer layer, sporting matching bloodstains and hole. She skipped over it, and she stooped to remove his boots.

“You don’t have to do this. I’m a grown man and can do it myself,” Stephen grumbled.

Gemma snorted. “A grown man that just complained about being sore. Can you lift your arms without wincing? No? I didn’t think so. Now hush and let me do this. It’s the least I could do, considering I caused this.” She let her fingers brush over the makeshift bandage on Stephen’s abdomen as she rose back up, boots in hand. She placed them by his door. “Now, get in bed, grown man.”

“But-”

“No buts. Doctor’s orders.” She pointed, brow raised.

Stephen rolled his eyes, but the quirk of his lips outed his true feelings. He carefully crawled onto his bed and settled. A sighing groan escaped him as he sank into the lush surface of his bed.

“See? What did I tell you? Bed rest will do you some good,” Gemma said. She gathered some of the pillows and arranged them around and behind Strange to prop him up comfortably.

“Thank you, Gemma,” Stephen murmured, eyes feeling heavy.

Gemma’s brows rose. She cocked her ear toward him and cupped it. “Sorry, what was that? I didn’t quite hear you.” She could feel Stephen roll his eyes as he said it again.

“I said thank you. Really. After the rocky start we’ve had, thank you for continuing to stick by me.”

“Well… I didn’t have much of a choice, considering I would be stuck in London without you to take me home…” Gemma drawled, a smile creeping to her lips, “but all things considered, you’re welcome.”

“Can you ever just let me say thank you and give me a normal response?” Stephen turned his head to face her, a brow raised.

Gemma’s grin grew. “Nope! What fun would that be?”

“Maybe I shouldn’t thank you just yet. You’ll probably be the death of me.”

Her grin turned to a smirk. “Now you’re catching on, Doctor Strange. Now you’re catching on.” She moved to his side to gently pat his shoulder. She jolted when there was a small knock at the door.

“I’ve brought some tea,” Wong called. 

Gemma gave a small laugh and moved to open the door for him. Wong brought in a tray with a teapot and two cups. He set it on Stephen’s nightstand.

“Hope I haven’t interrupted anything,” he muttered.

Both Stephen and Gemma flushed. Gemma shook her head with wide eyes.

“Wong! No! That’s just… no!” She fumbled for words.

“Mmhmm…” Wong’s eyes flicked to Stephen’s discarded robes. Gemma inhaled sharply and took a step back, cheeks darkening. 

Stephen swallowed and averted his gaze. He cleared his throat with a chuckle. “Wong, that’s enough now. Nothing happened. I couldn’t untie my robes, which is your fault by the way, so Gemma helped me. That’s all.”

Wong snorted at the two of them and rolled his eyes. “Alright. Have fun doing ‘nothing’.” With that, he slipped out the door.

Gemma chewed her lip. “Do you, uh, do you have a restroom I could use?” She asked. Stephen pointed her to the attached bathroom, and Gemma ran inside, slamming the door behind her. Hiding her face in her hands, she groaned as she slid down the wall. The heat in her face only made the embarrassment worse.

Stephen chuckled to himself and lifted a teacup. “Typical Wong,” he mumbled with a shake if his head. He kept as quiet as he could, the image of a fiery Gemma punching his guts a reality should she hear him.

Gemma sighed and stood. She washed her hands so she could care for Stephen’s wounds. When she came out, she grabbed a cup of tea. She and Stephen shared an uncomfortable silence as they drank, all thanks to Wong. Gemma clacked her nails against the porcelain of the teacup.

Stephen exhaled at last. “Gemma, you’re thinking too hard about this. Wong was just being Wong. He didn’t mean anything by it.”

Gemma lowered her teacup. “I know. I just… I embarrass easily. That’s all.” She shrugged.

“And you became a doctor?” Stephen quirked a brow.

Gemma huffed, mouth curving. “Well, yeah, but I only work with the drugs,” she said. “Actually, if you need anything, I can put together something to help with the pain.” She gestured to his abdomen.

“You have all sorts of surprises up your sleeve, don’t you?” Strange raised a brow. “What did Stark sign me up for?”

Gemma scoffed. “Please, I’m not THAT hard to deal with.”

Stephen gave her a look.

“Whatever.” Gemma shooed him away.

“How are you so…” Stephen began, searching for words.

“So what? Amazing? Annoying? Weird?”

“So functional.”

Gemma made a sour face. “Excuse me?”

“After all you’ve been through, you still seem to function normally. So signs of PTSD, no lasting mental trauma. How do you do it?”

“What is this, Twenty Questions?” Gemma rubbed her thumb along the lip of her teacup. A hand drifted up to twist the diamond studs in her ears.

“Only if you want it to be. I’ll make you a deal. You answer my questions, and you can ask me an invasive question,” Stephen offered.

Gemma looked him over. The disarming expression on his features threw her off. She took a deep breath. “Only if I get to ask first. I may have forgiven you for our initial spat, but I don’t trust you completely yet. You know what I mean?”

Stephen nodded. He motioned for her to sit. “Go ahead. Ask away.”

“Why don’t you want me mentioning Christine? I know you two were a thing before and even after your accident; I was involved in that medical gossip loop too, you know. I thought you guys had gotten back together after you returned from Tibet with,” she pointed to all of him, “all that and saved the world.”

Stephen rubbed the back of his neck with a half-hearted chuckle. “Straight for the throat, huh?” he asked. “Alright. The reason is because we AREN’T together, plain and simple. I ruined anything we could have had long before I went to Tibet. She did forgive me for how I acted towards her, but she made it clear she wanted nothing to do with me romantically. I don’t blame her; I wouldn’t want to associate with me either.”

Gemma seated herself on the edge of his bed. She pulled her legs up under herself. “I didn’t realize… I’m so sorry. I mentioned her so many times… I didn’t know that the Shadow Man knew about her and-”

“Gemma, there’s no need to apologize. I know you didn’t know. I’m not mad.”

“Why are you not mad now, but you got so angry so easily when we first met?” Gemma couldn’t stop herself from asking. “Why exactly were you so cold to me afterwards?”

Stephen paused and looked away, his eyes drifting to her cuffs. “Those are two extra questions.”

Gemma slouched to catch his eyes again. “Please, Stephen?”

Stephen’s eyes locked on hers. How could he resist, with her looking at him so desperately for answers? How could he fight the pull of those big, cerulean orbs digging into his conscience and making him feel like the biggest piece of shit. “Honestly? I was playing dirty. The Shadow Man was right to feed off your intuition, because it wasn’t completely wrong. I wasn’t being kind just for the sake of being a good person. Although I was concerned, I wanted to analyze your threat potential. Being friendly was the best way to do that. So for that, I’m sorry. 

“Your explosion set me off the way it did was because it reminded me too much of myself. At my lowest, I exploded and hurt the woman who loved me more than I will ever know. I’ll never get another chance because I hurt her, and that is something I have to live with.”

Gemma stilled and fell silent as he opened up to her. A pressure in her chest ached, and her eyes faintly stung. Her brows knit together, and she rested a hand on his knee. “Stephen, I’m so sorry. I should have never reacted in the way I did. If I had only known-”

“You don’t need to apologize for my mistakes, Gemma. It’s not your fault. You don’t need to take responsibility for my own poor decisions,” Stephen interrupted.

When Gemma opened her mouth to speak, Stephen interrupted once more. “Ah-ah, my turn to ask the questions. How do you function so normally after almost two years of torture and suffering?”

Gemma blanched, and her lower lip quivered for a moment. “I… I don’t really function all that normally, to be frank. I have nightmares quite often. Also,” her brows scrunched, “I don’t remember everything. It’s all a bit of a blur, if I’m honest. I think they kept me drugged most of the time, but it’s all distorted in a way that… that doesn’t seem like something drugs would do alone. I know the Shadow Man is involved, somehow. He did this to me,” she held out her scarred arms, “And I feel like he knows something I don’t.”

Stephen frowned and reached out to press the back of his hand to her forehead. When Gemma went to question him, he put a finger to his lips. Gemma swallowed as he rested his hand there.

“No more for today, Gemma. You’re getting chills.” He moved his hand so his fingertips rested on her forehead. His eyes fell shut. “There’s some sort of blockage. I never noticed before, but it’s there.”

“Wait, wait.” Gemma pulled away from him. “You can feel it somehow?”

“Yes. I’ve always been able to feel your energy. It’s always been strong, the power pulsing inside you. It’s all muted now because of the cuffs I placed on you, which is why I never noticed it before. There is a bit of a blockage inside your energy. It’s not yours, but something else… I can’t tell what,” Stephen explained, eyes opening to catch hers.

“Stephen… why didn’t you tell me earlier?!” Gemma frowned.

“I didn’t notice until now. I only became your guardian two days ago. I haven’t had the opportunity to examine your powers.”

Gemma’s brows furrowed. She grabbed his hand and placed it on her forehead. “Do it. Now. Examine them. Please, I need someone who can understand them.”

“Gemma-”

“Stephen! Please! Tony has ghosted me, and so have the others because of the issues going on abroad. Right now, you’re the only one I can turn to. You’re all I have, and you’re probably the only one who understands, who CAN understand.”

Stephen sighed and dropped his hand to her cheek. His thumb swiped the tear that had slipped down her cheek. Gemma’s breath hitched at the movement. The tear had escaped unnoticed.

“I’ll do it, Gemma. But not now. Go back to your room, rest up. We can address this again in the morning.”

“It is morning. See?” Gemma pointed to the clock, which read 5:49 AM. “The mission in London took all night.”

Stephen dropped his hand and patted her leg. “Good morning, Gemma. I’ll see you in the afternoon. Or tomorrow. I may need to take the day off to rest and heal.”

Gemma stood and cocked her head to the side. “Can you even do that?” She glanced at the Cloak of Levitation as it settled onto a coat rack.

“I’m Sorcerer Supreme, I do what I want.”

Gemma couldn’t hide her smile as she left his room for hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember, you can still ask questions if you want! Any comments make my day, and I love kudos as well!


	15. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I'm so sorry it took so long for me to update this, a lot has been going on! I tried to make this chapter longer to make up for lost time, but I didn't edit it as much as I usually do, so hopefully there are few errors. I hope you all still enjoy! Hopefully I will be able to update again relatively soon. Until then, hope you continue to enjoy!

The following day, Gemma received a day off. Well, she really gave herself the day off, but that’s besides the point. She woke up early that morning to sneak into the kitchen and whip up a good breakfast of scrambled eggs for Stephen, Wong, and herself. As she was cooking, Wong wandered in, drawn by the smell. Gemma grinned and served him a portion before she took the rest up to Stephen’s room. Gemma lightly rapped on the door before she entered.

“Good morning! Hope you’re hungry!” Gemma said as she pressed the door open with her hip. She jolted with a gasp at the sight of Stephen standing there, shirtless and covered in blood. The plate slipped from her hand, but one of Stephen’s disks caught it before it hit the floor. 

“Gemma, I-”

“Lay down. Now.”

“Wait, I can-”

“Now, Stephen!”

Stephen swallowed under Gemma’s intense gaze and sat back on his bed. Without another word, Gemma blew the door of Stephen’s bathroom open with a gust of wind. She stalked in and grabbed the first aid kit before returning to Stephen’s side.

“Gemma-”

“Not a WORD, Stephen,” Gemma growled as she focused and dampened a cloth with her powers. The effort and concentration to fight the restraints of the cuffs hurt, but she gritted her teeth and did it anyway. She dabbed at the blood and wiped it away to get a better look at the wound. When she saw, she clucked her tongue. He had torn open some of the thin scar tissue healing his wound.

“You.” She pointed at the Cloak of Levitation. “Go fetch something I can suture with. Even a sewing kit would do.”

The Cloak whipped out the door to follow her demands.

“I swear to God, Stephen… you were supposed to take it easy!”

“It was an accident, I’m sorry,” Stephen said.

“How the hell is a tear like this an accident?” Gemma asked. She doused the cloth in rubbing alcohol and dabbed the wound.

“Shit!” Stephen flinched away with a hiss.

Gemma rolled her eyes and dabbed again, pressing her other hand into his stomach to keep him still. “You deserve that, you know. Scared the hell out of me.”

“Oh?” Stephen raised a brow, a smirk beginning to curl his lips.

“Yes!” Gemma slapped his chest. “I was going to be nice and make you a good breakfast and everything, but instead I come in to find you bleeding to death!”

Stephen chuckled and rubbed the spot she slapped. “Glad to know you care. It’s cute.”

Gemma glared. “I am NOT. CUTE.”

The Cloak returned and set a sewing kit in Gemma’s lap. Gemma cracked it open and sterilized the needle. Taking a deep breath, she threaded the needle.

“This will hurt, but you have to promise to take it easy for a while to not tear it again.”

“It’ll be fine, I’ll take care of myself, Gemma.”

“No. You’ll be under my strict watch. Doctors are the worst patients, I swear.” Gemma shrugged. She steadied her hand and began to slowly suture the tear closed.

Stephen grunted and bit down hard on his lip. He watched Gemma stitch him closed with surgical precision, and, honestly, he was more than impressed. Her eyes, blue as they were, so intent and focused on her job. Strands of hair fell into her face. He itched to swipe them back behind her ear. Only the pain of the needle pricks kept him from acting upon those urges.

Gemma sighed when she finished. She blotted the stitches with more rubbing alcohol and cleaned up. “Stay here.” She scurried out for a moment before returning with a small jar.

“What’s that?” Stephen questioned.

“A special healing salve, courtesy of my own special recipe. Good for quick healing, preventing infection, numbing pain, and reducing scarring.”

“Impressive.” Stephen nodded. 

Gemma beamed and came to his side. “Lift your arms so it can get in any cracks in the sutures.” 

“Easy, Wong might walk in and get the wrong idea,” Stephen quipped.

Gemma looked down in an attempt to hide the color coming to her cheeks, and she started chewing at the skin on her bottom lip. “Such a dickhead.” She shook her head as she applied the salve evenly. “Sit up.”

Stephen obeyed and sat up. Gemma padded his fixed up wound with gauze and wrapped it generously around his midsection.

“I’ll be changing that at least once a day, just so you know. So don’t touch it yourself.” Gemma gave him a hard look. “I’ll know if you’ve messed with it.”

“Fine, fine. Now, let’s see those eggs you made and almost splattered all over the floor. You’re welcome for saving them, by the way.” Stephen smirked.

Gemma huffed and whisked away the first aid supplies into the bathroom, where she scrubbed her hands. She grabbed the plate and frowned. The scrambled eggs had gone cold. Narrowing her eyes, she concentrated on accessing her power. Minute flames licked her fingers and kissed the eggs.

“Well done. You’re getting better at controlling your power,” said Stephen.

“I need more practice,” Gemma retorted. She snuffed out the fire and stabbed some eggs with a fork. “Open up.” She waved the fork in front of Stephen.

Stephen arched a brow and frowned. “I’m not a child, you know.”

“I know. But this plate was just on fire. Want to add burn wounds to that hole in your gut?” Gemma mimicked his expression. “Besides, you could just take the fork from my hand like a big boy.”

Stephen rolled his eyes and stole the fork from her. He popped the eggs in his mouth with a hum and swallowed. “Not bad, not bad at all.”

Gemma quirked the corner of her lips up. “I’m a professional.”

Stephen snorted. He used the fork to eat some more. He paused when he noticed Gemma not eating.

“Go ahead, you eat first. I’m not that hungry,” she said.

Stephen narrowed his eyes. “Eat.” He thrusted a forkful towards her.

Gemma sighed and took a bite off his fork, quirking a brow all the while. “So is this how it’s going to be? You feeding me while I take care of you?” She asked through the eggs in her cheek.

Stephen shrugged. “Doesn’t sound too bad to me, actually.”

Gemma glanced away as she felt warmth flood her face again. She cleared her throat as she reached up to spin her earrings. “Anyway…” she said, “I wanted to ask if it was okay if I went for a walk. I wanted to pick some things up from the Tower. I’m missing some of my things, and it’s getting to be colder outside… I was wondering if I could grab them to keep from freezing.”

“I could just take you -”

“No, Stephen. I want you to rest so we can get back to training. Wong and I will take care of the Sanctum and all that until you’re better. Besides, you can’t take care of the world with that hole in your guts.” Gemma gestured to his abdomen.

Stephen looked like he was bound to argue, but he sunk back down onto his bed. “Fine… but can Wong at least -”

“Stephen.” Gemma pressed a finger to his lips. “Shh. I’ll be fine. I need some fresh air anyway. I’ll even pick you up a sandwich or coffee or something on my way back. Okay?”

Stephen froze and looked at the finger on his lips, daring not to move. His heart jumped into his throat and left him speechless for a moment. “A-alright… fine. Just be careful.”

Gemma’s lips split into the biggest smile. “I will be! See you soon!” She jumped up and ran to go get some normal clothing on. 

Stephen watched her go with a small sigh. Just when he got so attached to that smile of hers, he had no idea, but he knew he would do anything to see it again. He shook his head to clear it of that thought. He barely knew her, and she was so young compared to him; there was no way anything of the sort should plant itself in his head. Just erasing the thought from his head made him let out a deep sigh, pulling the stitches and making him wince. He deserved the pain, he thought, to distract from the ache of knowing he didn’t stand an ice cube’s chance in Hell with Gemma, even when that smile gave him a hope he never knew existed.

Gemma, on the other hand, all but skipped to her room to change. She threw on a light blue sweater over her black cami, and she pulled on jeans and her favorite combat boots. Grabbing her wallet and shoving it in her back pocket, she opened the doors of the Sanctum for the first time since she had arrived. Brisk December air nipped her nose, but it was surprisingly warm for this time of year. Gemma sighed. A white Christmas wasn’t in the cards for this year. Gemma looked around at the streets, seeing the decorations for the holidays right around the corner. Her heart skipped, and her lips split into a grin. She had the perfect plan to bring some cheer to the Sanctum. All she needed besides winter clothes were her decorations from the Tower and a bit of help from Wong to give Stephen a unique surprise.

All too shortly, Gemma found herself in front of the Stark Tower. The entire building was dark, even the levels where Pepper normally worked. Gemma pursed her lips. Perhaps Pepper is in California on business. Gemma hummed and wondered who was going to let her in. She grabbed the door and yanked, and it opened. She made a soft noise in surprise and stepped inside. She paused in the entryway. Something felt off in the emptiness of the building. Taking a hair tie off her wrist, Gemma pulled her hair back in a ponytail just in case. 

She crept to the stairwell and used her power to cushion her steps with pockets of air. Instead of the normal taps of her shoes on the tile, there was only a subtle poof. Gemma smirked, feeling like a spy with her stealthy tricks. She took a breath to focus herself before she ascended the stairs. At each floor, Gemma paused to check on it, but each floor was empty. That was until she reached the floor with Bruce’s and Tony’s lab. By that time, Gemma was panting from climbing all those floors of stairs.

“Come on, I can do this…” She told herself. She froze when she noticed the door to this floor was cracked open. All the previous floors had been sealed tight. Gemma cracked her knuckles and readied her power should she need it.

Taking a breath, Gemma flung the door open and rushed inside. She ran into something firm and strong, and she stumbled back. Something cold gripped her shoulder and pushed her back against the wall. Gemma gasped, the wind knocked out of her, and kicked at her attacker. She focused on his scruffy face, stoic but tired, as he held her still. Her eyes flicked to the side and focused on the other man.

“Steve?!” She went limp, eyes wide.

Steve’s jaw dropped. “Gemma?! You’re supposed to be with Strange!”

The man holding Gemma glanced back at Steve with a pinch in his brow, but he lowered Gemma to the ground.

Gemma immediately rushed to Steve and pulled him into a hug he returned.

“I was!” She explained. “I stopped by to grab some belongings I forgot when I moved.” She pulled away and studied Steve’s face. “How have you been? Where are the others? Is Tony here?”

Steve swallowed and flicked his eyes to the brunet man for a moment. “Well… it’s a long story. Tony and I had a fight. We didn’t agree with some things in Germany, and we split. Right now, we are trying to catch this guy that’s trying to distract us and unleash some bad people.” He continued to give her the rundown of all that had happened over the past weeks.

Gemma blinked and whistled. “Well that sounds messy and confusing as all hell, but I’m sure you guys have it covered. Wish I could help, but I don’t know if I can.”

“Actually, you can help,” Steve said. “We need some of your medical knowledge, and we can’t get into the lab. Neither of us could crack the code, and the glass was designed to withstand the Hulk. Up to helping?”

Gemma grinned. “Of course.” She looked back to the other man. “After you introduce me to tall, dark, and brooding over there.” She nodded in his direction.

Steve’s eyes widened with a soft chuckle. “Oh! This is James Buchanan Barnes. But you can call him Bucky. We knew each other back since we were kids and during the war.”

“So this is THE Bucky then? Your best friend Bucky? That’s what Tony meant when he said about you helping a friend or something? I know you had mentioned Bucky before, but I thought he had died…” 

“Another long story, but he’s alive. Hydra had kept him and tortured him and used him as their own personal assassin. He’s finally free now, though, and he wants to help,” Steve explained.

“And Tony doesn’t want him to…” Gemma pieced it all together. “You’re on the run, aren’t you? Tony wants you to sign the Accords, and he wants Bucky in prison, but he’s the biggest help you have against this guy that wants to unleash Hydra’s other experiments.”

“Damn, she’s smart…” Bucky muttered under his breath.

Gemma smiled and stuck out her hand. “Well, it’s nice to meet you Bucky. I’m Gemma. I’m new to the Avengers here… though whether they exist right now is uncertain.”

Bucky took her hand for a gentle shake. “I’m sorry about before, for slamming you into the wall. I hope I didn’t hurt you.”

“No hard feelings, I’m tougher than I look. Now let’s get into that lab. Which one of you is hurt?” Gemma asked as she started towards the lab.

“Bucky is,” Steve answered. “Just a slash, I think. We put duct tape on it on the way over, and this was the nearest place we could think of to get what we needed.”

“Say no more. I’m not taking any sides between you or Tony, so I’ve got your back. Gotta keep the family together somehow, right?” Gemma stopped in front of the door to the lab. She stripped off her sweater and handed it to Bucky. “You may want to stand back now.”

“Wait, don’t you have the code?” Steve asked.

“Nope! I’ve been locked out since I moved to Strange’s place. I’ve been working on my powers, though, so now you’ll get to see how much I’ve progressed. Just stay back, I don’t want my sweater to get ruined. It’s new.” Gemma winked and placed her hands on the lock. She dove deep into her core to pull on all the power she could muster. She gritted her teeth and poured heat onto the lock. It began to steam, but nothing more. Gemma growled and dug deeper. Her stomach twisted, and her core ached, but she pushed it farther. The cuffs screamed their limit, but Gemma just knew she needed more power. The metal of the lock began to glow and sizzle. A small drop dripped to the floor and hissed.

“Come on!” Gemma urged, muscles tight as she poured more fire onto the lock. Loose flames licked her hair and arms. Larger blobs of the lock poured to the ground. 

“Holy shit,” the two men behind her muttered.

The power soon became too tiring, so Gemma had to let it go. She kicked the door with all her might, and it cracked. Another kick sent it flinging open. “After you.” She swung her arms to allow them to pass.

“How… how did you do that?” Bucky asked as he walked inside.

“These.” Gemma held out her arms to show him the scars running up them. “I was captured and experimented on by someone, but we don’t know who it was yet. My powers are the results of the experiments. Some sort of elemental magic manipulation, according to Stephen.”

“Stephen?” Steve raised a brow. “So you two are back on a first name basis?”

Gemma cleared her throat and nodded. “Yeah, we are. We’ve made up, I guess.”

“And what are those?” Bucky pointed to her cuffs. He set her sweater on a chair

“Stephen’s idea. They help me control my powers. Before, I was too erratic and chaotic. Too much power that I couldn’t control. It was too dangerous. These restrict the power I’m able to use at one time, so I’m slowly integrated into controlling my full power. The only problem is that my power is still growing. I can feel it inside me, but it’s like a tangled mass of knots I can’t unravel yet,” Gemma said as she moved to grab first aid supplies and healing tablets she had worked on before she left.

“I’m sorry none of us have been here for you, Gemma. I’m sure that was hard for you, adjusting to new powers all by yourself… especially after all you had been through. I should have made more of an effort to help,” Steve apologized.

“I appreciate it, Steve, I really do, but there’s no need to be sorry. I was being overly selfish and needy when the world was practically at stake, and I should have acted more my age about it all. Peter helped a lot, and I don’t know what I would have done without Stephen to guide me so far. I’m not even remotely mad,” Gemma admitted. “Now… Bucky, I’m going to need you to remove your shirt, please. Have to get you two ready to figure out your own shitstorms.”

Steve smiled at her. “You really have learned a lot without us, huh? Good. I’m glad.”

Gemma returned the smile and tended to the cut on Bucky’s side. She kept her face neutral when she saw the litter of scars across Bucky’s skin, the history of constant abuse. Empathy welled up in her and choked off her voice. The biggest scarring was around his metal arm. Gemma made sure she was extremely gentle with his wound as she cleaned it up. She crushed a few of her healing tablets and sprinkled them in the wound. A pleased sound came from her unconsciously as the wound mellowed out and smoothed back into a small scab.

“It works!” She gave a nerdy cheer. “That was awesome! Come on, I’m awesome, aren’t I?”

“That was pretty awesome,” Bucky admitted, fighting a small smile of his own.

“Is that a smile I see?” Steve teased his friend, nudging him.

Bucky scowled and crossed his arms, but Gemma laughed and handed him his shirt back.

“She can bring out the best in people. I started to see it when she first came to us, but I can really see it now,” Steve muttered.

“I see it. She gives people hope for a better tomorrow,” Bucky agreed. “Even me… and that’s saying something.”

“Stephen’s a lucky guy, that’s for sure… let’s just hope he realizes that.”

“If he doesn’t, I’ll beat his ass.” Bucky snorted at himself, and Steve shook his head.

“What are you two gossiping about over here? Come on, take anything you need. It’s not being used sitting here, that’s for sure.” Gemma returned. “Just don’t stay too much longer. I don’t want Tony barging through and finding you. Plus he’ll kill me for helping worldwide fugitives.” She winked.

“Thank you for all your help, Gemma. It means a lot. I’ll try to keep in contact as much as I can. Both of us will.” Steve waved.

“Just stay safe. That’s all I ask.” Gemma pulled Steve in for another hug, holding tight. “You too, Bucky.” She released Steve and tugged Bucky close. He was stiff for a few seconds, but he relaxed and hugged back. “Now go. Avengers don’t waste time with chit-chat.”

The men chucked and tossed her a final wave, disappearing into the stairwell of the empty Tower. Gemma grabbed her sweater and slipped it back on before she made her way to her old room. Nothing much had changed besides the amount of dust and the lack of items in the room. Gemma dug around in the closet and pulled out an overnight bag to plop on her bed. She loaded her remaining winter clothes into the bag, and then she snuck in several of her Christmas and New Years decorations. She searched for anything else she had been missing but found nothing of importance.

Slinging the overnight bag over her shoulder, Gemma made her way out of the Stark Tower, humming all the way. She made sure to stop at the coffee shop as promised, and she ordered a coffee and sandwich she prayed Stephen would enjoy. On her way back, she couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching her. Checking her surroundings multiple times revealed no one of suspicion. Gemma hummed and pressed open the door to the Sanctum.

“Hel-” Her voice died in her throat when she heard the faint yelling. She set her bag, the sandwiches, and the coffee on the ground. Gemma lit her fingers in flames and crept towards the room the noise was coming from. Once outside the room, she pressed her ear to the door. All she could hear was muffled conversation. One voice, was that Stephen? He sounded angry, and his voice grew and faded as he paced the room.

Gemma furrowed her brows as she pressed the door open. Inside, Wong stood with his arms crossed as he stared Stephen down. Stephen, on the other hand, looked a mess. He was pacing frantically, and he had been running his hand through his hair. “What on Earth is going on in here?” Gemma asked, eyes wide and searching.

Stephen stomped up to her and grabbed her by her forearms. “What took you so long?!”

Gemma’s brows drew together. “I was packing my things. The elevator at the Tower was out, so I had to climb the stairs. It took forever. I also stopped at the coffee shop to grab you lunch and a coffee…” She left out her encounter with Steve and Bucky.

“Do you have any idea how worried I was? There was an abnormal spike of magical energy while you were gone. For all I knew, the Shadow Man could have gotten you!” Stephen shook her a bit.

Pressing her lips into a firm line, Gemma placed her hand on his chest and pushed him away. “I’m fine, Stephen. You shouldn’t be this upset. I can handle myself. All you’re going to do now is injure yourself further,” she said.

Stephen bit his bottom lip tightly at her words. “What do you want then? You want me to be better than Tony was in supporting and helping you, but you don’t want me to express concern?”

“I want you to have faith that my powers are stronger and I’m capable of protecting myself when I go out in public for a few hours,” Gemma argued.

“I know you are, Gemma!” Stephen sighed and turned his back, running his fingers through his hair again. “I just don’t want you to get hurt again, alright? You’re strong, but the Shadow Man is stronger. I don’t want him or anyone to hurt you like you were hurt ever again. You don’t speak about it often, but I know you still have nightmares about what happened. I can hear your screams from my room. It doesn’t help that I’m worthless to help you if you need me either.”

Gemma’s lower lip trembled at his confession. “Oh, Stephen… you aren’t worthless, never. You’ve done more for me in the short time I’ve stayed here than even my own family did for me my entire life. You’ve seen me at my lowest, and even though you were a dick for a while, you came around to help me. If anything, I feel like the worthless one,” she said, voice wavering.

Stephen’s eyes widened at the crack in her usual bright attitude. Now, he could see the woman beneath all the fiery sass and the cheerful smiles. He could see the softness of her heart and the brokenness of her. Without another thought, he wrapped his arms around Gemma and held her close. Her soft sniffles working to hold back tears yanked at his heart strings. Ever so gently, Stephen carded careful fingers through her hair.

“You aren’t worthless either, you know. You’re more than you’ll ever know. Hell, you got Wong to like you without any effort. Do you know how long it took him to laugh at one of my jokes? Months! He didn’t even know who Beyonce was,” Stephen murmured into her hair. He grinned when that pulled a giggle from her.

Gemma pulled back from him slightly, still enjoying his arms around her. “How does someone not know Beyonce?” She turned her head to raise a brow at Wong, who stood off to the side.

“I know who Beyonce is, Stephen’s jokes just weren’t funny.” Wong shrugged before he left the two alone.

Gemma snorted. “I think Wong just schooled you, Doctor Strange.”

“Apparently…” Stephen released her and wiped at her eye. “Now no more crying. Why don’t we do something calming. Meditation, perhaps?”

“Wait! After lunch, I’m starved. I brought us lunch, go set up in the training room. We can have a picnic,” Gemma suggested. She ran back out to grab the sandwiches and Stephen’s coffee, and Stephen went to set up a space for them in the training room.

Gemma entered the training room and smiled. Stephen had gone and spread a blanket on the floor and lined it with some pillows. “Wow, Stephen… it’s like you’re a professional at this,” she commented.

Stephen breathed out a laugh. “Why of course. Who doesn’t know how to picnic properly?” He crossed his long legs once he sat on the blanket.

“I hope you like this coffee… I wasn’t sure what you like, and I don’t drink coffee myself so…” Gemma trailed off as she handed him the beverage. She sat next to him and dug out their sandwiches. “Where’s Wong? I got him a sandwich too.”

The Cloak of Levitation swooped Wong’s sandwich out of her hand and flew away. The two sat there and shared a look.

“Alright, I guess it’s just us,” Gemma laughed.

Steven grinned and sipped his coffee. It wasn’t great, but he was pleased with Gemma’s effort. It meant a lot that she tried.

“So what did take you so long today? I know the magical spike I felt was yours,” Stephen said once he swallowed.

Gemma sighed. “I guess I can tell you. I ran into Steve. He was with a friend, Bucky. Th-”

Stephen held up a hand. “I’m aware, Tony called recently to update me on the situation while you were gone. He asked to speak with you, but I told him you were training with Wong and couldn’t be interrupted. He was worried about you, wanted to make sure you were doing okay under my care. He threatened me.” Stephen winked.

Gemma giggled and nodded. “It sounds like a mess out there. But I’ll have to thank Tony later, even if he never tells me anything,” she deadpanned.

“It’ll be alright. Besides, I really think you should be thanking me, not him.”

“Oh?” Gemma raised a brow. “And why’s that?”

“Because I’ll never keep you in the dark like he does.” Stephen shrugged and gave her a wink. “Plus I’m the one who decided to keep you anyway.”

Gemma rolled her eyes, lips turning up as they finished their lunch together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos make my day, so please feel free to leave them! Thanks so much for reading!


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